Elective hub ‘due in Limerick by end of the year’, says Health Minister
GOVERNMENT has said it aims to have a new facility to tackle waiting lists in place in Limerick by the end of the year.
Limerick is to be home to a new ‘surgical hub’ facility designed to slash the number of people in the queue for non-urgent treatments.
It will operate in a similar manner to the Reeves Day Surgery Centre in Tallaght, south Dublin.
“It will have a shorter-term impact on waiting times. This intervention will also support efforts to consider the necessary reforms and enablers needed to separate unscheduled and scheduled care pathways that will be required by the longer-term provision of the elective care programme,” a spokesperson for the Department of Health previously said.
It’s anticipated the private facility could be delivered on the grounds of University Hospital Limerick (UHL) in Dooradoyle.
In an update on its plans to tackle high waiting lists in Ireland, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly outlined the measure, putting a projected time of the end of 2023 on it.
“To address shorter-term needs, the HSE will fast-track plans for new elective surgical hubs in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford to address shorter term capacity demands,” he wrote.
He described the surgical hub plan as an “interim measure” in advance of elective hospitals becoming operational.
However, Limerick is still not in line for such a private hospital, despite the fact Ireland’s other major cities are.
It’s something which has sparked concern among hospital campaigners and local politicians.
Elsewhere, Mr Donnelly pledged €1.8m to the expansion of the ophthalmology service which diagnoses and treats problems of the eye.
And a further €1.1m has been put in place to expand the gynaecology service, which is the area of medicine concerned with a woman's reproductive system, organs and health.
Local Fianna Fail TD Willie O’Dea has previously welcomed the roll-out of the surgical hubs in Limerick – but cast doubt on the timelines, given the planning permission needed before any work can start on the project.
Speaking in Dáil Éireann last month he suggested St John’s Hospital in the city centre should house a new private hospital to address what he described as “chronic” overcrowding in UHL.
"Careful consideration must be given to the suitability of the site at St. John's Hospital, Limerick, which has the space, expertise and track record to make this an outstanding success,” he said.