HSE confirm new ward block for Mayo University Hospital at least three years away

A SENIOR officer with the HSE in the west of Ireland says the construction of a 70-bed ward block in Mayo University Hospital could take another three years to begin, despite it being a priority.

A meeting of the HSE Regional Health Forum West which took place this week heard that progress is taking place on planning for the new Emergency Department and Acute Medical Admissions Unit project at Mayo University Hospital (MHU).

Planning permission was granted at the beginning of March with the first 'enabling works' for construction to start later in the summer.

Castlebar-based Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne who is a member of the forum asked for an update on the proposed expansion to the hospital which includes the new ward block. He was informed that an expansion to accommodate new acute inpatient wards on the upper floors has been identified but the ward block project is still at feasibility stage.

“A capital submission including a project brief needs to be completed defining the scope of the project and the supporting business case. It is anticipated this would be done during 2024. A design team will then need to be appointed to progress the design, statutory approvals and tendering processes before any construction works can commence,” a report from Joe Hoare, Assistant National Director, HSE Capital & Estates stated.

Based on this response, Cllr Kilcoyne asked HSE management to comment on his assumption that it will be another three to four years at least before there are any additional beds on the block.

Ann Cosgrove, the Chief Operations Officer with the Saolta Hospital Group, which includes MUH, largely agreed with Cllr Kilcoyne's comments.

“We have developed a brief for the ward block and have identified a potential location but that has to go through the formal capital submission nationally and the formal approval. In real terms you are talking about two to three years before you have additional beds,” she said.

Ms Cosgrove added that six additional beds have been opened in the last week in the St John's Unit in the Sacred Heart Hospital in Castlebar to support the hospital activity and they also work very closely with the district hospitals to ensure beds are filled.

“We do work very diligently to try and use all beds in the county to support patient activity but it will be a few years before we have a new ward block on the site,” she added.

While welcoming the progress on the new Emergency Department in MUH, Cllr Kilcoyne said that without extra beds it will not solve the issue of patients waiting on trolleys.

Ms Cosgrove stated he was 'absolutely correct' and accepted that the hospital needed both facilities.

“It [ward block] is an identified project and nationally we have flagged it very much over the last two years but there haven't been too many ward blocks approved throughout the country. Mayo would be one of the sites where we have prioritised for a ward block,” she said.

Cllr Kilcoyne suggested that the new Taoiseach may advance the project as he was a former Minister of Health and he should 'know how badly it is needed'.