News
Additional beds sought for Cavan General Hospital
Mr Brendan Smith, T.D., Minister of State and Senator Diarmuid Wilson have had further discussions with An Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Ms Mary Harney, T.D., regarding the need to provide additional beds at Cavan General Hospital.
The Tánaiste in recent correspondence to the Fianna Fáil Oireachtas Members stated that her predecessor, Minister Micheál Martin signalled his approval to a range of measures to address the re-configuration of hospital services across the Cavan/Monaghan Hospital Group that had been developed by a Steering Group established by the CEO of the former North Eastern Health Board in April, 2004. She added that the Health Board was then requested to bring forward detailed proposals for the Department’s consideration.
“The Health Service Executive states that a planning brief prepared for the North Eastern Health Board proposes the re-development of the shelled-out Surgical Three ward, and for a fourth operating theatre, similarly un-commissioned, that would be needed to support the Cavan/Monaghan joint department of surgery. The brief provides for a total of 25 beds, comprising 18 medical beds, a four-bed high dependency unit and 3 single bedded isolation rooms, a deficiency previously identified for the hospital. It identifies the estimated capital cost of the project at € 6.65 Million, with full-year revenue consequences of € 3.5 Million. This additional capacity represented by the planning brief is the first phase of the Cavan Hospital Development Control Plan.
Following the preparation of a report by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland regarding surgical services at Cavan General Hospital, my Department recently facilitated a meeting with representatives of the College and the Director of the National Hospitals Office. The issues arising from the RCSI report and other issues relevant to the reconfiguration of services across the Cavan/Monaghan Hospital Group are being progressed by the Director of the National Hospitals Office”, stated the Tánaiste.
Minister Smith told The Anglo-Celt that he has had further discussions with the Tánaiste outlining the need to provide the additional facilities at Cavan General
Hospital at the earliest possible date.
