The Health Service Executive announced yesterday that planning permission has been approved for two new primary care centres in Westport and Claremorris. The tender process by the National Development Finance Agency is under way. The primary care centres will be located at Kilcolman Road, Claremorris, and Toberhill, Westport. These centres are part of the overall HSE plan to develop primary care services in local towns.
The Mayo centres will be developed on a public private partnership basis. The primary care centre in Westport will include accommodation for GPs, mental health services, public health nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, speech and language therapy, chiropody, dietician, dental, and primary care counselling. The total HSE staff complement will be in the region of 20 staff. A local ambulance base will also be located in this centre. Following the development of this centre the services at the existing Westport Health Centre and Mental Health Day Centre, Altamont Street, Westport, will be relocated to this new purpose based centre.
The Claremorris Primary Care Centre which is to be developed at Kilcolman Road, Claremorris, adjacent to the Mayo County Council local offices, will comprise accommodation for GPs, public health nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language, psychology, chiropody, dietitian, dental, and a number of other visiting professionals. A local ambulance base will also be located at this centre. The total HSE staff complement will be in the region of 15 staff. Following the development of this centre the services at the existing Health Centre, Knock Road, Claremorris, will be relocated to this purpose built centre.
Frank Murphy, HSE area manager, Mayo stated: “The HSE is delighted that planning permission has been approved for two new primary care centres in Westport and Claremorris. This will greatly enhance the delivery of health services in both towns and the surrounding areas. The primary care centres will allow the public to have easy access to an increased range of services based in the one location, close to home. It is hoped that only those who require the specialist services available in an acute hospital will need to go to the hospital setting as most other services will be available from the primary care centres. The development of primary care teams is a key element of our national plan for developing community-based health services.”
