€87.8 million has been allocated to Galway this year for health capital projects, it was revealed yesterday (Wednesday ) as the Minister for Health unveiled this year’s HSE Capital Plan.
Of particular note is the €60.59 million being spent on infrastructure in Merlin Park Hospital — a development that has ben welcomed by Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton.
“This is something I have advocated for since I was first elected to represent the people of Galway West. €40 million has been allocated to our Interim Surgical Hub in Merlin Park this year. The hub, which is under construction and due to be completed at the end of the year, will provide a significant uplift in surgical capacity for the region.
“It will reduce waiting times for day case procedures by significantly increasing the capacity for elective day case surgery in a dedicated facility,” the Minister noted.
Minister of State Naughton said that €15 million has been allocated to replace the Community Nursing Unit at Merlin Park which will be a 60 bed unit, including dementia beds.
Among other developments in Merlin Park, €1.7 million has been provided to progress our new Elective Hospital on the grounds of Merlin Park and to advance phase 2 of the outpatient infrastructure, phase one already being operational, which will provide 77 additional consulting rooms, associated treatment rooms, and other associated facilities.
“University Hospital Galway has been allocated €14.25 million this year. This funding will progress work on, amongst other projects, a new ward block including enabling works such as road diversions, demolition, service diversions etc., a new cancer centre, a new Emergency Department with ward block and new Medical Laboratory,” the local TD said.
“This new building phase in University Hospital Galway is premised on a new masterplan for the hospital agreed with the HSE. It will involve decanting nearly all elective and outpatient services to Merlin Park Hospital, thus providing space in UHG for what will be, by completion, an effective rebuild of the entire campus. It will done on a phased basis, beginning with a new ward block, for which funding is allocated this year for preparatory work,” the Minister indicated.
“These projects are good news for Galway and an acknowledgement that the separation of Acute and Elective services between the University Hospital and Merlin Park campuses, something I have been calling for since I was first elected, is the only solution to the difficulties we face in Galway,” she concluded.
