Tymon North is a 48-bed Medical Gerontology Age-Related Unit that cares for patients who require ongoing medical care and rehabilitation before being discharged home.
The CEO of Tallaght University Hospital has just celebrated the 4th Anniversary of the opening of Tymon North. The 48-bed Medical Gerontology Unit at Tymon North is managed and staffed by the Hospital and opened during a COVID lockdown.
The Hospital was offered the opportunity to manage this unit in Tymon North just before the end of 2020 by the HSE. At that point, TUH quickly acted to transfer a team of our staff to the second floor of the brand-new building located on Tymon Road North, which is just a ten-minute drive from the main hospital campus.
Tymon North is a unit where we provide unique specialist medical gerontology care, as well as addressing any social care and rehabilitation needs patients may have as they continue their recovery until they are well enough for discharge. There are two wards, Cherry Blossom and Bluebell with a total of 48 beds. Each single room is en-suite with a television.
Consultant Geriatrician Aoife Fallon is the Clinical Lead at Tymon North. Paying tribute to the hardworking multidisciplinary team who have helped her to run the Unit, Dr. Fallon said, “In terms of staffing I am privileged to work with excellent colleagues who always put the patient’s needs at the centre of everything they do. As well as specialist geriatric nursing and medical staff, our 80-strong team includes physiotherapists, dietitians, speech & language, occupational therapists medical social workers and health care assistants. Since we opened in 2020, Tymon North has treated over one thousand patients with an average age of 81 years. After their stay with us, the majority of patients (750) have been discharged home.”
Marking the 4th anniversary of the Medical Gerontology Unit in Tymon North, the CEO of TUH Lucy Nugent said, “It is great to be able to celebrate the opening of Tymon North finally. When this unit first opened its doors and began receiving patients in 2020, the COVID–19 pandemic had just happened. Protecting our patients always comes first and due to the pandemic, we waited until now to hold our official opening. Since it opened Tymon North has been a centre of excellence in terms of providing much-needed gerontological care to patients and vital extra bed capacity to our hospital. It has been a wonderful addition to TUH.”
The unit provides vital support to TUH in addressing the medical, social, and rehabilitation needs of complex older patients prior to their discharge home or, in some cases, to a nursing home for long-term care. The expected length of stay for patients is two to 12 weeks.
Caption for pic – Left to Right
Consultant Geriatrician -Tymon North, Aoife Fallon,
CEO of TUH - Lucy Nugent,
Clinical Nurse Manager - Tymon North, Sandra Greville,
Chair of the TUH Board - Prof Anne-Marie Brady.
