The President, Mrs Robinson, yesterday launched three days of celebration at St James's Hospital in Dublin which is marking its 25th anniversary. The hospital is the largest acute teaching hospital in the State and each year about 52,500 people attend its casualty department. Last night, the hospital announced the establishment of the St James's Foundation. It is the first time it has sought to raise significant private funding to support its work.
The Foundation is being established to help fund patient amenities, the development of medical education and medical research.
The Chairman of St James's, Prof Ian Howie, said yesterday that the hospital's management wanted to improve integration between the hospital and the community. Members of the local community, GPs and healthcare workers have been invited to join the celebrations.
Speaking of the hospital's history, Prof Howie said a work house was established on the site in 1703 followed by a foundling hospital in 1727. In the 1940s, a general hospital, St Kevin's, was set up. He said 1972 was a turning point when the hospital changed its name and began its association with the medical school in Trinity College Dublin.
The hospital, he said, had a huge catchment area and was still involved largely with general medicine. However, it also specialised in bone marrow transplants, haematology and the treatment of AIDS.
Speaking about the Department of Health review of the decision to place the new cardiac unit in St James's, Prof Howie said a meeting with the Minister for Health Mr Cowen had been requested.
After coming into office, Mr Cowen established a group to review the decision made by his predecessor, Mr Noonan, to establish the unit in the Dublin hospital rather than in University College Hospital, Galway.