The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD has announced an additional 382 beds for the Midwest healthcare region under the new Acute Hospital Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan 2024-2031.
The plan has been introduced in response to the ongoing Health Service Capacity Review and aims to bring the number of beds in HSE Midwest from 2 per 100,000 people to 2.7. It also delivers on the Minister’s commitment to ensure balanced regional bed capacity and to ensure patients across Ireland have equity of access (see table below)
The new beds form part of a major national plan which marks the biggest expansion of bed capacity in the health service in several decades, with a total of 3,352 additional acute inpatient beds planned for delivery across three tranches up to 2031.
The plan for the Midwest region includes:
268 new beds for University Hospital Limerick
48 new beds in Ennis General Hospital
42 new beds for St John’s Hospital
24 new beds in Nenagh Hospital
The expansion does not include rehab, subacute or specialist beds.
Minister Donnelly said: “Today marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to reform and improve the health service, and I am delighted to be announcing this extensive expansion of hospital beds across four hospitals in the Midwest region.
“This investment recognises that our growing and ageing population are placing more demands on our healthcare services and I am determined to drive forward with expansion that ensures people have access to the right care in the right place at the right time.
“This plan has been carefully developed in light of the unique requirements of the Midwest region and sets out a route towards a health service that will be better equipped to meet the health needs of the people it serves.”
