Good news on horizon for Macroom Hospital
ON Referendum Day, May 25, Minister of State Jim Daly with special responsibility for Mental Health and Older People, visited Macroom Hospital, together with his assistant, Darren Hourihane.
Minister Michael Creed facilitated and attended the meeting. At the gathering they met Bernie Buckley, Director of Nursing in Macroom Community Hospital, her Deputy, Joan Dinneen, Friends of Macroom Hospital representatives Breda Cotter, Mary O’Brien, Catherine Coughlan and Isobel Good, Ann O’Mahony, together with Ber Power, HSE South Manager, and Dr Con Kelleher.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss: the extension and development of Macroom Community Hospital; the possible conversion of the health centre to a day care unit for the elderly; The use of the converted health centre for other activities and services for children and for the handicapped were suggested.
The great news is that in a follow-up e-mail on May 29 to Nursing Director Buckley, Darren Hourihane, on behalf of Minister Daly, confirmed that planning for the new hospital extension will be sought in November 2018 with building starting in 2019 to be completed in 2020.
Assurances were also given that the conversion of the health centre will be addressed in the very near future.
After the meeting Ministers Creed and Daly walked around the hospital. They were very impressed with the condition of the hospital, the quality of the care, and especially with the use of nurse prescribing and the availability of intravenous treatment when needed. These facilities are rare in community hospitals.
Minister Daly acknowledged the lack of space and it is understood that a substantial budget has been allocated for the hospital extension and that extra money may be provided for work on the Health Centre/ Day- Care unit.