Senator Aisling Dolan - Strong Voice, New Vision.
Plans are moving forward on the development of a medical rehabilitation unit at Roscommon University Hospital according to Councillor Aisling Dolan. A feasibility study to determine where to site the new unit has been carried out along with site investigations and surveys, particularly given the ground conditions and underground services at the rear of the hospital. The appraisal looked at the optimum siting of the new unit in the context of service users’ requirements to establish the best links to the existing hospital.
Fine Gael’s election candidate for Roscommon – Galway, Cllr. Dolan says Stage 1; Preliminary Design phase is complete, and Design Stage 2 will begin shortly subject to approval by the HSE. A further traffic management plan will be developed as part of Stage 2 following earlier traffic studies which looked at the rapid increase in outpatient and day services in recent years. It’s anticipated that the design process will continue to be advanced in the coming months and a planning application will be submitted shortly thereafter.
Funding of 7.8 million euro has already been sanctioned for the 20-bed facility and it is included in the HSE Capital Plan up to 2021. The Roscommon Medical Rehabilitation Unit will operate in conjunction with the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire, allowing patients to access complex specialist rehabilitation services outside of Dublin.
“Plans are moving forward in providing a specialist rehabilitation centre at Roscommon Hospital and it’s hoped that a planning application will be submitted before the end of the year. The draft stage 1 report is currently available for approval by the HSE over the next few weeks. This will provide an invaluable service to people living in the west and midlands of Ireland who have suffered serious injuries or life changing conditions as they will no longer have to travel to Dublin for treatment. Fine Gael in government has already
committed to funding the project in the HSE Capital Plan and it’s imperative that this project remains at the top of the health agenda in 2020,” says Cllr. Dolan
