Govt urged to push ahead with Macroom hospital plan
A CORK TD has queried if the overspend on the National Children’s Hospital is going to have an impact on plans to expand facilities at Macroom Community Hospital.
Speaking in the Dáil, Cork North West Fianna Fail TD Aindrias Moynihan said that more than a decade after plans for the redevelopment of the hospital were first proposed nothing has happened.
He pointed out that planning permission had been granted for works at Macroom towards the tail end of the last decade, but had been allowed to lapse in 2013.
“There has been a repeated cycle of plans and commitments and all we are seeing is non-delivery. It’s a massive failure for those who depend and work in Macroom Community Hospital,” said Deputy Moynihan.
“We need to see progress on this. We have seen community hospitals in similar positions make progress, but Macroom Community Hospital has slipped behind,” he added.
Deputy Moynihan pointed out that while the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) had praised the standard of care at Macroom Hospital, it also raised a number of issues of concern including patient privacy, storage space and the need to more away from the ‘open ward’ model to more private rooms.
“The hospital licence was renewed (by HIQA) on the basis that plans for the redevelopment would be advanced. However, aside from the appointment of a design team about thee-years after the HIQA report, we still haven’t seen concrete developments,” said Deputy Moynihan.
He said that late last year the HSE had informed him that €5.8 million was needed for the project and they were expecting the planning process to commence in the first quarter of this year.
“It is now March and there is still no planning application. We need to get to the stage where planning is secured, funding is committed, works are underway and real commitment is shown to Macroom Community Hospital,” said Deputy Moynihan.
He accused the Government of taking a “very laid back approach” to Macroom Hospital, adding that there were fears that overspending at the National Children’s Hospital could now have “negative consequences” for the hospital.
“The Minister (for Health) must put energy and emphasis behind Macroom Hospital. He must give every support, including a commitment to funding and support as the project must still be released in order to apply for planning permission,” said Deputy Moynihan.
“It is imperative that the Minister give the hospital his full support.”
In response Jim Daly, the Minister for State for Mental Health and Older people, said he had visited the hospital in person and informed staff and management that the redevelopment project was at design stage and that planning permission was due to be lodged shortly “with a view to completion by 2021.”