HSE updates its capital development plan for the year

Work on the development of new radiation oncology facilities in hospitals in Cork and Galway will get under way early next year, the HSE has said.

In an update on its capital development plan for the year, the HSE said enabling works for the projects, which would see four linear accelerators put in place at Cork University Hospital (CUH) and Galway University Hospital (GUH), were progressing.

It said in both instances the work would require the relocation of existing acute mental health accommodation.

“At CUH these works have been tendered and it is expected that the contractor will be appointed in November 2012.

“At GUH it is expected that these works will be tendered in November 2012. It is expected that work will commence on both sites in early 2013.”

The report said a design and feasibility study for the redevelopment of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire had been completed. This would see the replacement of the existing complement of 120 beds and therapy space.

It said a joint submission to rezone the hospital campus lands would be made by the hospital and the nearby Amgen company this month. This would facilitate the redevelopment of the hospital and the expansion of the Amgen plant on Pottery Road.

The report said among the primary care facilities approved for this year included a new centre in Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, which would be in operation in the first quarter of next year.

A new centre in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, was at tender stage and was expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2014.

The report said procurement of design teams for primary care developments in Cork city, Finglas, Grangegorman and Corduff in Dublin, as well as in Monaghan, had begun.

It said it was likely to be early 2014 before builders were on site for the development of the new Central Mental Hospital in north Dublin.

The HSE said the main development of the new Mater hospital in Dublin was now operational, and the final phase would be completed next year.

The opening of a new critical care block at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick would be opened in phases in the first quarter next year.

The report said a new emergency department project at Wexford General Hospital was expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2014.

A new emergency department, assessment unit, day-care services unit and endoscopy unit at St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny was expected to be completed by the end of 2014.