"What is an outreach team for?"

My mother was diagnosed with COPD in Beaumount Hospital about 8 years ago and was registered under her consultant and the COPD outreach team. Between then and earlier this year her meds, oxygen needs etc have never been reviewed or changed, she hasn't had an X-ray for years and had 1 scan about 18 months ago. I had to request that her oxygen (O2) needs be reassessed earlier this year as she was running out of home O2 and wasn't allowed anymore because HSE had not approved or been given a new script. Even after I got a new script and letters, the HSE continually refused to pass more O2 and eventually passed a little more but still not the full amount. She has been hospitised twice this year in Blanchardstown (she was staying in Meath with us), the second being at the moment. The care and reviews she is receiving is 10 times better than Beaumount. We were going to request to move her to the care of Blanchardstown from Beaumont as what happened recently was the last straw. She had an appointment for the 5th of Jan next with her consultant, and to be honest we were pleased as her breathing had deteriorated of late. Then last week when I was collecting her post we found a letter saying the consultant would be on holiday in January and she had been rebooked in for JULY! ! ! ! We called the Outreach team to say that this was too long that she needed to see them earlier and we were told take her to A&E as they couldn't help and the only other option was for her to go PRIVATE and PAY out of her pension. We are livid as what is the outreach team there for when they are supposed to be the contact for times like this, as it is, my mother is now in Blanchardstown having had a chronic episode because her tubes are so blocked because she is not on Nebs to open her passages to allow more O2, but sure if not being checked / x-rayed regularly how could anybody know what's best! ! ! !