Mid-West hospital group CEO supports need for elective surgery hospital in the region

It is the belief of UL Hospitals Group, which also includes Nenagh Hospital, that the Mid-West must have an elective hospital to serve the well described needs of patients of the region, according to Prof Colette Cowan, CEO of UHLG.

She was responding to a written question from Cllr Seamus Morris at the Health Forum West meeting in which he asked why UHL group had not received one extra bed in the Department’s winter plan despite having the worse trolley numbers consistently.

“An elective hospital has the potential to create capacity for patients waiting for sub-acute care,” said Prof Cowan.
She said that increased demand for emergency care in recent months had led to the frequent cancellation of elective activity across the sites of UL Hospitals Group.

“An elective hospital would ensure that scheduled care is no longer disrupted while at the same time creating much-needed capacity at UHL to deliver emergency and time-critical services,” said the CEO.

She said that ULHG also welcomed the recent announcement by the Minister for Health regarding his plans to include Limerick as one of five regional scheduled care hubs.

“We will work with all stakeholders on any plan to increase access to scheduled care in the region and to ensure that this model best meets the needs of the people of the Mid-West,” said Prof Cowan.

ULHG was part of the HSE national working group tasked with identifying a site for rapid delivery of a surgical care hub in the Limerick region, she pointed out.

In addition, work commenced on the new 96-bed inpatient block at University Hospital Limerick in September 2022 following the appointment of John Sisk and Son as contractor.

The construction phase will take at least two years to complete. Thereafter, the new facility will also have to be equipped and commissioned for use before being put into operation.

The project represents a total capital investment of more than €90m.

“This important project is the next step in addressing the acknowledged deficits in inpatient bed capacity in the UL Hospitals Group and the Mid-West,” said the CEO.

Prof Cowan said that the new 9,800 square-metre block will be built over the existing Emergency Department and Dialysis Unit and will consist of 96 en-suite single rooms. Approximately half of the beds will be new beds for inpatients while the remainder will be replacement beds allowing them to close or refurbish some of the more outdated inpatient accommodation on the site.

This will allow for greater compliance with national guidelines and international best practice on infection prevention and control, said Prof Cowan.

“We welcome the commitment from the Taoiseach to support the delivery of a second 96-bed inpatient block at University Hospital Limerick. The site masterplan envisages the development of three such inpatient bed blocks at the front of the site along St Nessan’s Road. With construction of the first bed block underway, the second bed block has been identified as the priority new capital project for future capital funding,” she said.

Prof Cowan said that a capital funding submission was currently being finalised in conjunction with HSE Capital & Estates.

“UL Hospitals Group are keen that the delivery of the second 96-bed block be fast-tracked and that funding be secured in the HSE Capital Plan to deliver the additional inpatient bed block in as short a timeframe as possible. We expect that proposals will be submitted to the HSE nationally in respect of this second 96-bed block before the end of the first quarter of this year,” said Prof Cowan.

Separately, it should be noted that the allocation of funding for capital development projects was decided by the HSE nationally and not by individual hospital groups, she pointed out.