The Minister for Health Mary Harney in Kilkenny on Monday complimented St Luke’s Hospital and its staff for its unique can-do attitude which she says ‘sums up the spirit of St Luke’s Hospital’.
She was speaking at the official opening of the new out-patient department for Carlow-Kilkenny patients which was unveiled on Monday.
She said that it was better to give resources and funding to hospitals with this positive attitude than to facilities that are not so accommodating.
“This is a spectacular facility and it’s been put in place so quickly. Up to 1,000 patients can be treated here on a weekly basis.”
The 53,000 people from Carlow-Kilkenny who attend St Luke’s for outpatient appointments each year, will from mid-February, experience new modern facilities, improved clinical space and comfortable waiting areas.
The new facility will accommodate all clinics including surgical, medical, ante-natal, gynaecology, paediatrics, oncology, diabetes, clinical nurse specialist and care of the elderly and has been provided through an investment of €6.4 million.
The Minister also officially opened the new interim laboratory and CT scanner. The new 64-slice CT scanner replaced the scanner which was funded by the Friends of St. Luke’s General Hospital, Carlow-Kilkenny.
Dr Gary Courtney also welcomed the Minister and pointed out that he still hadn’t received his contract as clinical director at the hospital. He praised the minister for her support of the hospital and for Kilreene and Aut Even. He added that many surgeons would not carry out surgery in either of these hospitals if it were not for the knowlege that there was an A+E deparment in St Luke’s close by.
Anne Slattery, general manager of St Luke’s said that the new OPD would make a huge difference to people attending clinics.
“Tthe new building provides modern facilities, improved clinical space and comfortable waiting areas. We are also delighted that a space has been allocated for a café area for use by patients and visitors to the hospital.
“The main focus of health care services is aimed towards delivering a wide range of outpatient and day services, minimising the need for unnecessary hospital admission for diagnostics and other minor procedures.
“Over the next four weeks all clinics will be moved on a phased basis from the main hospital to the new OPD building and in addition the facility will provide opportunities for the development of more specialist clinic services’’
