Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 June 2016
126. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he has withdrawn funding for the new rehabilitation unit at Roscommon Hospital which was intended to be a ten-bed unit operating as a satellite centre for the national rehabilitation unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15092/16]
View answerRoscommon University Hospital is a Model 2 hospital within the Saolta University Healthcare Group, and provides the majority of hospital activity, including extended day surgery, selected acute medicine, local injuries, a large range of diagnostic services (including endoscopy, laboratory medicine, point of care testing and radiology) specialist rehabilitation medicine and palliative care. The Hospital has 86 in-patient beds (including the Acute Mental Health Unit).
The future growth in healthcare will be in the areas of ambulatory care (including chronic disease management and day surgery), diagnostics and rehabilitation and model 2 hospitals will specialise in providing these services. As such, Roscommon University Hospital’s activity levels will increase in the coming years to meet the changing health requirements of the population. Roscommon University Hospital plays an essential role as a model 2 can as part of the Saolta Healthcare Group of hospitals.
The Specialist Rehabilitation Unit planned for Roscommon Hospital was included in the HSE Capital programme, 2015, to commence on completion of the Endoscopy Unit also planned for Roscommon Hospital. The Endoscopy Unit opened on a phased basis on 1 June 2016.
Approval was granted to progress planning of the rehabilitation unit in 2015. The total planned budget for the project was €7.87 million. The Saolta Hospital Group has advised that the spatial plan for Roscommon Hospital was approved in the first quarter of 2016. Assembly of a project team, with involvement of hospital and estates personnel, is underway currently.
My Department has asked for an update on the project.
