HSE Capital and Estates are currently in the process of procuring a Design Team for delivery of the MPUH Development Control Plan and further updates are expected later this year, the HSE Regional Health Forum was told last week.
In response to questions from Cllr Michael J Crowe, the forum heard that a number of projects are progressing such as the Surgical Hub and design of the planned Elective Treatment Centre. Outpatients Phase 2 is in the planning and design phase.
Anne Cosgrove, Integrated Health Area Manager, Galway Roscommon said that a key strategy to help avoid the cancellation or deferral of elective activity, such as planned operations, is to create surgical hubs and a new network of dedicated, standalone Elective Hospitals (also referred to as Elective Treatment Centres ) in Cork, Galway, and Dublin. Separating elective and non-elective care will free up capacity in existing healthcare facilities to better address unscheduled care needs.
“The planned centre for Galway remains on track for development on the Merlin Park Health Campus. The HSE’s appointed design team are progressing with the design for the Elective Hospital in Galway, and with the aim of lodging a planning application later this year,” she added.
“The initial focus in Phase I of the National Elective Care Programme is to provide capacity to meet ambulatory (day care ) demand for high volume, low acuity procedures out to 2035. There are no beds included in the development of phase 1 of the Elective Hospital. This was not part of the plan for phase 1 of any elective hospital across the country,” stressed Ms Cosgrove.
“In the West and North West, increasing bed capacity has been a large focus of planning for healthcare infrastructure. There have been a number of iterations of early stage plans to address this, including one in 2019 which proposed locating beds alongside the elective hospital.
She said that an extensive clinical and health planning process was since undertaken which resulted in a final Development Control Plan for the University Hospital Galway (UHG ) campus and a clear plan for Merlin Park University Hospital.
“This plan was developed in conjunction with the HSE and Department of Health over recent years. It prioritised the bed capacity need and requirement for these on the UHG campus to support delivery of the most acute care.
“Two new bed blocks, which will deliver 300 beds, will be delivered in the first phase of development on the UHG campus. This work is continuing to move ahead in parallel to developments of the elective hospital and surgical hub on the Merlin Park University Hospital Campus.
“The surgical hub in Merlin Park is currently at an advanced stage of construction and is due to become operational on a phased basis later this year, providing four operating theatres and two minor-op procedure rooms when fully commissioned.
Outpatients
Outpatient Department Phase 1 — The build for Phase 1 of the Outpatient Department block in MPUH is complete.
Outpatient Department Phase 2 — Phase 2 of this development will relocate additional Outpatient Departments from UHG to MPUH. This is a necessary development to relocate departments such as Paediatric OPD, Paediatric CF Unit and the Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism and some further unmet needs related to new service developments and regional services. Capital approval for Phase 2 was granted in May, 2024 and the design team were appointed in the summer of 2024. The Design team have issued the Stage 1 Report to the HSE Capital & Estates for review. Once approved along with the Project Review 2 Stage 1 Report, the Design Team will progress with Stage 2a design.
Outpatient Department Phase 3 — A capital submission for a Phase 3 OPD is required to cater for the remainder of OPD clinics and procedure-based outpatients that remain on the UHG site, which will need to be moved to MPUH.
Community Nursing Unit — On completion, this will provide 60 beds, comprised of 52 replacement beds and a further eight beds and it anticipated to be become operational in Q1 2027. We will also be seeking funding to keep the existing Units 5 and 6 open when the new unit opens. A business case is currently being developed and engagement with HIQA has commenced.
