Galway County Council Planners have approved a planning application by the HSE for a 40 bed Community Nursing Unit for Clifden.
Local Fine Gael Councillor Eileen Mannion has welcomed the decision saying that this is a very welcome step forward which will see the amalgamation of St. Anne’s Community Nursing Home and Clifden District Hospital.
“I am delighted that GCC has approved planning for a new Community Nursing Unit for Clifden. It is over ten years since this project was first approved with a funding allocation of €9 million and it was only in January of this year that a planning application was lodged by the HSE. The new building will provide 20 long stay beds, 10 dementia specific beds and 10 short stay beds for respite and step down. The budget for the project is now €34 million and I will be urging the HSE to go to tender for the delivery of the project as soon as possible”.
The proposed nursing unit will consist a two-storey courtyard building, rectangular in plan containing 38 single bedrooms and one twin room ensuite, along with support accommodation: sitting and activity rooms, day spaces, sanitary accommodation, pantries and stores. A two storey support wing containing kitchen, staff changing and family accommodation. The existing building which is a protected structure will be reconfigured to provide offices, staff areas, resident support areas and Day Hospital containing day room, reflection room, hairdressing, physiotherapy areas, clinic rooms and associated support areas. There will also be 37 car parking spaces as well as bicycle parking.
“Now that the HSE recruitment freeze has been lifted I will also be asking the HSE to continue to recruit more permanent staff for Clifden District Hospital and St. Anne’s so that adequate staff will be in place when the new unit is complete. At present there is still a reliance on agency staff which is not sustainable into the future”, added Cllr Mannion.
In the meantime, Clifden District Hospital is open for respite and step down care. The Day Care facility is now open three days a week. A physiotherapist has also been recruited and is due to start work in the hospital shortly.
