Vol. 569 No. 3
336 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to improve existing or build further health centres to facilitate the growing population in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17809/03]
Drawing up proposals for new health centres in the Kildare area and their prioritisation are matters, in the first instance, for the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA. I have been in contact with the ERHA and it has informed me that it works closely with the South-Western Area Health Board in the assessment of need for primary care services and the planning of developments. The building of new health centres would be part of a range of initiatives which the authority and the board would consider in order to improve primary care services.
Nationally, the authority is working closely with my Department on the implementation of the primary care strategy. The strategy will see a significant development of the full range of primary care services for communities throughout the eastern region.
337 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the initial estimated cost in respect of the Naas Hospital development plan; the cost to date; the projected costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17810/03]
338 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the estimated completion date for the Naas Hospital development plan; the all in costs of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17811/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 337 and 338 together.
A major development programme in two phases – phases 2 and 3A – has been approved and is under way at Naas General Hospital.
Construction of phase 2 commenced on site in November 1999. Phase 3A, which includes additional accommodation and enabling works for future phases – phases 3B and 3C – commenced on site as a variation to the phase 2 contract in April 2002. The additional phase 3A accommodation includes a pathology department, further out-patient department facilities and administration accommodation. The planned completion date for phase 2 and 3A is September 2003, with a staged handover of departments, which began in August 2002.
It is anticipated that phases 3B and 3C will be procured on a phased basis, with construction planned for commencement in late 2003. Completion is expected between 2004 and 2006. This will include the provision of an extra 62 beds in new accommodation at the hospital. The new facilities for Naas General Hospital will include the following:
Phases 2 and 3AMain entrance concourse
Administration
Medical records department
Chaplaincy department
Out-patient department
Accident & emergency department
Radiology department
Pharmacy department
Pathology department
Geriatric day hospital
Operating department
Intensive care and coronary care units
In-patient wards
Geriatric rehabilitation/assessment ward
Staff changing
Central supplies department
On-call accommodation
