The development of Ennis Hospital to meet the requirement of the projected population of County Clare is under consideration with the Mid-Western Health Board.
As a first step in the planning of the development, agreement was reached between officers of my Department and the board on the specialties and bed numbers required. A project team representative of the Department and the health board was set up in July of last year and the team is now well advanced in the preparation of a planning brief for the hospital. It is anticipated that the brief should be completed before the end of this year.
A new 30-bed obstetric unit is being provided in Ennis at the St. John of God Hospital, Cahercalla. Agreement has been reached between the health board and the St. John of God Order whereby the order will make available to the board 30 maternity beds, operating theatres and a labour ward suite. The necessary construction works are now in progress at the hospital and it is expected that the unit should be available for use early next year.
In addition to the above developments my Department are at present considering proposals from the Health Board for the extension of the radiology department and the provision of new X-Ray equipment at the hospital.
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