The HSE is to start recruiting over 20 new staff while proposals for a 40 bed patient hotel on the site of the Clonmel health facility have been given the green light.
Speaking on Tipp Today Tipperary TD Michael Lowry who has been instrumental in the developments says it’s long overdue for a hospital which has pretty much been ignored for decades by successive governments.
Following talks between the HSE, consultants and nursing staff – up to ten extra nurses are to be immediately recruited for health the facility – which is the main hospital for the Premier.
A further 10 or so healthcare staff will also be hired and while the INMO have repeatedly expressed concerns about the ability to hire new nurses, Deputy Lowery is confident the posts will be filled quickly.
On top of that, Clonmel will be the first hospital in the country to pilot a 30 bed patient hotel which will be installed on the grounds of the hospital – and comes already staffed.
Similar structures are currently used at major sporting or other events.
While no specific timeframe can be put on when it will be up and running here, Deputy Lowry says there is huge co-operation between the county's planners and the hospital and he doesn't envisage planning being a problem.
The news comes as South Tipperary General again has one of the highest number of patients on trolleys again today – after Limerick – which caters for North Tipperary with 27 in the ED and ward overflow areas.
Leading consultant at the hospital Paud O'Regan says the new patient hotel will ensure scenes like today will be a thing of the past.
While Deputy Lowry insists the long term plan is to get the hospital included in the Capital Investment Plan.
