Oireachtas members from Clare and Limerick have given their backing to a three-tier plan to expand hospital capacity in the Mid-West, following publication of HIQA’s review of urgent and emergency care services in the region.
At a meeting in Limerick today, eight members of the Oireachtas agreed that all three options proposed by HIQA should be advanced in parallel to relieve ongoing pressure at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).
Under the preferred approach, immediate investment would focus on expanding bed capacity on the existing UHL site at Dooradoyle. Medium-term development would see the establishment of a second UHL campus nearby comprising of out-patients department, diagnostics and adult mental health, with a longer-term goal of moving the maternity hospital and other acute services including a new ED to the nearby site under shared governance. This would provide a high quality multi-generational urgent and emergency care service for the Mid-West region. It was agreed that Option A combined with Option B will ultimately deliver Option C.
The meeting, held at the Great National South Court Hotel and convened by Clare TD Joe Cooney (Fine Gael), was attended by Minister Patrick O’Donovan (Fine Gael), Minister of State Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fáil), TDs Cathal Crowe and Willie O’Dea (Fianna Fáil), Senators Maria Byrne, Martin Conway and Dee Ryan, and Clare County Council Cathaoirleach Paul Murphy.
Dr Terry Hennessy, the HSE’s Regional Clinical Lead for Strategy and Development, briefed members on the significant constraints to expansion of the UHL site at Dooradoyle, the lack of capacity for that site on its own to deliver for the long-term future needs of the area, along with the HSE Mid-West short, medium and long-term plans for implementing the HIQA recommendations.
Following a positive and very constructive meeting, members agreed to support the HSE Mid-West’s commitment to pursuing all three strands and to engage with the Department of Health to secure full Government backing. A follow-up meeting is planned for early November in Leinster House, with Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and senior department officials to be invited.