(November 12th 2020) Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) have today welcomed the decision by the HSE to fund the building of an extension to its Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The 1,500m2 extension will see a 12 bed ICU extension built alongside the existing ICU on the second floor of the Hospital.
Commenting on the announcement, TUH Chief Executive Lucy Nugent said, “this year has brought us many obstacles and our capacity in ICU to care for the most vulnerable patients has been a particular challenge. The Hospital has been working towards the development of an expanded ICU for some time and we are delighted that the building of the extended Unit is finally due to start.
I would like to acknowledge the support of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group and HSE Estates who have supported the design, planning and now build process of this long awaited and much needed extension. With the aging demographic and advances in medicine we have been vulnerable in our preparedness for more acute presentations and admissions. The completion of the extension will put us in a better position to care for the greater number of acute patients presenting and strengthen our position as a trauma site for Dublin.”
The new extension will be to the benefit of both patients and the Hospital. It will see us no longer operating at 100% and at times over 100% capacity in this critical care area. When it opens the Post Anaesthesia Care Unit will not be used as an overflow area so scheduled major surgeries will no longer have to be rescheduled.
“The approval for the extension to the ICU in Tallaght University Hospital is a critical development and one that has featured in the Group priorities for some time. I would like to acknowledge the work and determination of the Team at Tallaght University Hospital. It is now more important than ever that we are strategically planning to address the clear demands and meet the predicted demand into the future in terms of the growing population and aging demographic within our communities. I would also like to acknowledge the support of HSE Estates who have supported this work and continue to as we progress through the next stages,” commented Trevor O’Callaghan, CEO of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.
Preparatory site works have already started on the site and the Hospital apologises in advance for any inconvenience to visitors, patients as they access the main building in the next few months.
About Tallaght University Hospital
TUH is one of Ireland’s largest acute teaching hospitals, adult, psychiatric and age-related healthcare on one site. The Hospital has 495 adult beds with 3,000 people on staff. The Hospital is a provider of local, regional and national specialties. It is also a national urology centre, the second largest provider of dialysis services in the country and a regional orthopaedic trauma centre. The Hospital also has 67 paediatric beds under the governance of Children’s Health Ireland and 52 mental health beds under HSE governance.
TUH is one of the two main teaching hospitals of Trinity College Dublin - specialising in the training and professional development of staff in areas such as nursing, health and social care professionals, emergency medicine and surgery, amongst many others. TUH is part of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group which serves a population of over 1.2 million across seven counties.
The Hospital’s Emergency Department catered for 52,398 Attendances in 2019. A further 251,455 patients were treated through the Hospital’s Adult outpatient clinics in 2019. The Hospital’s operations are supported by 200 general practitioners in surrounding communities and aligned with CHO7.
TUHF
Tallaght University Hospital Foundation is committed to investing in TUH and promoting quality care and wellness throughout the community. If you would like to support the work of the Foundation please go to www.tuhf.ie or contact Kelly Crowley, Head of Development for TUHF on kcrowley@tuhf.ie
