Helipad delays trauma unit

ISSUES surrounding planning permission for a new helipad at Cork University Hospital (CUH) could delay plans for a new major trauma unit at the hospital according to Kerry Fianna Fáil TD John Brassil.

At present, helicopters bringing patients to CUH for treatment land at Cork Airport or on pitches near the hospital and transfer patients by ambulance to the Emergency Department.

In February, the Government announced that CUH is to become one of the country’s two major trauma centres but the hospital needs a helipad, to achieve this.

“To meet international standards to be designated as a major trauma centre, a hospital must have a helipad, a CT scanner in the emergency department and additional bed capacity in the intensive care unit. There is, I believe an issue with the helipad,” said Deputy Brassil

“I am urging the authorities in the HSE and CUH to move swiftly towards applying for planning permission to deliver this important piece of critical health infrastructure,” he said.

The HSE’s South/South West Hospital Group says that plans for a elevated helipad – which were opposed by the Irish Aviation Authority on safety grounds – have been revised and a specialist aviation consultant has been engaged to help prepare the planning application. Depending on planning the HSE hopes to have the helidad operational by the end of the year.