Spend on projects to fall by almost €100m each year

HEALTH: THE GOVERNMENT has said it will not be possible to develop all priority healthcare infrastructure projects originally…

HEALTH:THE GOVERNMENT has said it will not be possible to develop all priority healthcare infrastructure projects originally planned under the resources available for capital programmes.

Public expenditure on healthcare capital projects will fall by nearly €100 million in each of the years ahead under the terms of the review of infrastructure priorities.

The report states that the Government had set as priorities for development: the new Mater hospital, the new national paediatric hospital, ward blocks and accident and emergency facilities in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Letterkenny general hospitals, improved maternity facilities, the roll-out of the national medical imaging system and the national programme for radiation oncology.

It also notes that investment in mental health infrastructure, the development of community nursing units, primary care and facilities for the disabled as well as facilities to support child welfare protection were also considered priorities.

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The report indicates that “budgetary pressures have become manifest since these projects were articulated”.

It states that a number of key projects in the acute care sector could be progressed by means of “alternative finance” .

It says that these include:

  • Acute facilities at Sligo General Hospital;
  • Relocation of major maternity hospitals to acute hospital sites;
  • Modernisation of laboratory services.

The report also states that in relation to primary care, the HSE has identified an extensive list of proposed developments to advance provision of primary care centres.

It states that the board of the HSE has approved in principle advancement of projects in 182 locations.

It indicated that these projects are being progressed as leases.

The report notes that two primary care facilities opened in 2009, 32 are scheduled to open in 2010 and 91 are scheduled to open in 2011/12.

“These primary care developments are being progressed on the basis of leasing and this approach has been subject to detailed evaluation. HSE analysis shows that this approach offers good value for money.”