New childcare facilities for Tallaght Hospital
The facility also serves Kildare patients
The new Paediatric Outpatient and Emergency Care Unit (ECU) at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Tallaght has opened today.
The 4,600m² facility was completed by the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) on September 9 and handed over to CHI on September 15. CHI has spent the intervening period commissioning and equipping the building and familiarising staff who will work there with the new facility.
The new three-storey CHI centre, located adjacent to the main entrance to the Tallaght University Hospital includes a new emergency care unit with 2 triage rooms a modern well equipped resuscitation room, a designated area for minor injuries and procedures and 16 single examination and treatment rooms. The unit will provide 24-hour emergency care.
There will be a new paediatric outpatient department with 13 consultation rooms for Monday to Friday appointments in general and specialist paediatrics including neurodisability, and orthopaedics along with a new radiology unit for x-rays and Ultrasound examination and a new Medical Forensic Examination suite and clinic for the CHI Child Sexual Assault Counselling and Therapy services.
Within the Emergency Care Unit there is capacity to deliver short-stay care so that children can have full consultant assessments and treatment and be discharged home without needing a 24-hour admission.
This model currently exists in CHI at Tallaght and has worked very well, according to the HSE.
Specially commissioned artwork throughout the unit that makes CHI at Tallaght a warm and welcoming place for children, young people and their families which will assist with their wellbeing;
The facilities are designed and built for children, young people and their families - it is bright and spacious with plenty of changing facilities, areas designated for breast feeding and specialist sensory areas within the ECU and Outpatient Department.
These expanded services are in addition to the current inpatient, day case, theatre and outpatient services in CHI at Tallaght which will remain there until the new children’s hospital opens.