Children's hospital bid: Upping the ante in the contest to secure the new national children's hospital project, management at the Mater Hospital in Dublin has asked staff and anyone connected with the hospital to talk about the advantages of the Mater "whenever the chance offers" and to "denounce inaccurate statements" about the site.
With the Government-appointed group due to make its recommendations about the location of the 380-bed facility to the Health Service Executive (HSE) on Thursday week, competition between the seven hospitals in the running for the project has intensified.
St James's, St Vincent's, the Mater, Connolly, Beaumont, Tallaght and the Beacon Medical Group (BMG) made submissions to the HSE at the beginning of this month. Tallaght and BMG have opted to make these submissions public.
Although the Mater has decided not to publicise details of its bid, its chief executive officer, Brian Conlon, has asked staff to help the hospital "spread the understanding of the Mater campus as the ideal location for this historic new development in healthcare". "Each and every person working at the hospital or connected with the hospital can help the Mater in its bid to become the chosen site for the new children's hospital by knowing the advantages we offer and talking about them whenever the chance offers," he stated in a staff communication issued earlier this month and seen by The Irish Times.
He warned staff that they were going to read criticism of the Mater in the papers and on the radio and said it was important staff "know and can denounce inaccurate statements" about the Mater site. Inaccurate statements, according to Mr Conlon, include suggestions that the Mater doesn't have the space for the facility and that the city couldn't cope with the congestion.
In the staff circular Mr Conlon also outlined key points made in the hospital's bid to the HSE. These are that the Mater campus provides the best clinical fit for co-location, has the space needed now and for future expansion, has the best understanding of what's required and the capacity to deliver it, and is the best value option in terms of time and money.
The circular also outlined 12 reasons for locating the hospital at the Mater. Reasons included the breadth and depth of clinical specialities at the Mater and the existence already of joint consultant appointments with both paediatric and maternity hospitals. The operation of a "virtual campus" involving the Mater, the Rotunda and Temple Street demonstrates the hospital's "capacity for respectful partnership with other hospitals" was also cited as a reason.
"With the Mater, the National Children's Hospital doesn't have to be fitted in with an out-of-date adult hospital. Because we're starting from scratch with both hospital development, we can truly deliver the benefits of co-location," the document said.