This article is from page 18 of the 2012-03-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
A DATE for the opening of the € 15 million, 50-bed development at Ennis General Hospital still has not been set.
Work on the unit began in November 2010.
Yesterday (Monday) management was still unable to give an opening date for the unit, as all of the equipment is not in place.
The HSE lodged a planning application for the hospital extension with Ennis Town Council in August 2010.
The project includes a two-storey ward building including bedrooms, associated treatment rooms and staff facilities, connecting into the existing two-storey hospital at ground and first floor level.
A new landscaping, parking and realignment of internal roadway and paths; alterations to the internal layout of the south east wings of the existing hospital and temporary egress from the hospital during construction to Highfield Park was also included in the planning.
The new unit is not only to provide modern wards and isolation rooms but the vacated space in the existing building is to be “gradually refurbished”.
The existing hospital building is a protected structure.
The HSE has promised that the hospital would offer “general medicine including cardiovascular support, day surgery, plastic surgery, geriatric medicine, acute adult emergency medicine and minor injuries care.”