Senator Aisling Dolan - Strong Voice, New Vision.
Senator Aisling Dolan welcomes the announcement of progress in the expansion of Portiuncula University Hospital Emergency Department, the project moves to the appraisal stage.
Over 30,000 people attended Portiuncula University Hospital Emergency Department last year and the challenge is we are probably the only hospital in the Saolta group who haven’t had any work done to our ED. We need more beds in ED and this will ensure that there is space for ambulances, paediatrics and medical assessment unit. I’ve worked with Minister Donnelly and the Taoiseach’s office to ensure the ED expansion plan was included in the HSE Capital Plan for an ED extension and I am now delighted to confirm the project is moving to stage two i.e., appraisal. This will mean there will be adequate space for children within ED and an additional 9 treatment bays when the project is completed.
I invited the former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to meet with the senior clinical team at Portiuncula Hospital February 2023 and he had the opportunity for a tour of ED and to hear of the challenges with lack of space from the consultants and nursing teams as well as patients. We need more beds in ED and this will ensure that there is space for ambulances, paediatrics and medical assessment unit.
Many people can now see the new 50 bed ward block building on the hospital grounds. In 2019, I secured a meeting with then Minister Simon Harris, then Minister for Health and the clinical management team in Portiuncula where funding was allocated to a 50 bed ward block. These new single beds en-suite will be an incredible addition to the hospital for patients and their families in terms of infection control, dignity, privacy especially at end of life. This fantastic development will be fully completed later this summer. This is the largest development and multi-million-euro investment in our hospital for decades.
The HSE plan also includes Replacement of Central Sterile Services Decontamination (CSSD) Unit for Reusable Invasive Medical Devices in Portiuncula University Hospital and this will also provide a service for Roscommon UH.
Work will also commence on fire safety and an upgrade of the Fire detection and alarm network complete and also works at the FA & emergency lighting medical block
Construction of 2nd MV substation incorporating 2x MV transformers, ring main unit, associated switchgear, LV supply, standby generator is also part of the HSE capital plan
To acknowledge the work of the General Manager James Keane and the senior management team at Portiuncula who prepared the proposal plans approved by Saolta Hospital Group .
