Seanad debates

Tuesday, 11 December 2018

Commencement Matters

Hospitals Policy

10:30 am

Photo of Catherine ByrneCatherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am speaking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris. I thank the Senator for raising this issue and giving me the opportunity to provide an update to the House regarding Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital was originally opened by the Medical Missionaries of Mary as the International Missionary Training Hospital in 1957 and was transferred to the North Eastern Health Board in 1997. The hospital is currently owned and run as a statutory hospital by the HSE. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is a 370-bed acute general hospital serving the local community in the north east. Services include an emergency department, an acute medical assessment unit, Louth-Meath paediatric services and the regional trauma service.

Recent media reports have suggested that the hospital is considering changing its name. It has also been reported that the general manager of the hospital wrote to staff members recently seeking their views on potential names. The Department of Health has sought a full update on this matter from the HSE. One of the suggested names was Drogheda university hospital. The Senator may wish to be aware that use of the term "university" is regulated by section 52 of the Universities Act. The Companies Registration Office will not register any company wishing to use the term "university" without authorisation from the Department of Education and Skills.Hospitals in the RCSI hospital group, including Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, are not referred to as university hospitals because the RCSI is not a university.

As part of investment in and reform of health services, a phased major capital infrastructural project is taking place at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. The project includes the provision of additional beds and theatre capacity, as well as the expanded emergency department. The new emergency department which will be located on the ground floor of the hospital will be completed and available to open early in 2019. The HSE has advised that some work remains to be completed in the old emergency department to allow for the installation of a new paediatric emergency department and an extension of radiology services. It anticipates that the full extension will be ready in 2019. Additional bed capacity in the hospital is also expected to be made available early in 2019.

Further decisions on the name of the hospital will be considered by the HSE and the Department of Health and take account of the wishes of staff and the population served by the hospital.

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