The Taoiseach has been asked to look favourably on funding to increase capacity at Tipperary University Hospital.
Micheál Martin was in Clonmel on Friday to officially open the 40 bed modular unit which has been used as an admissions unit for all patients that are coming through on the Covid pathway.
CEO of TUH Maria Barry took the opportunity of the Taoiseach’s visit to press home the need for backing to develop the St Michael’s Unit and other projects.
“I suppose primarily we want to finish off the work that the HSE Estates has commenced in relation to the St Michael’s Unit. We’d like to make that an in-patient facility – we’d be hoping that the hospital would get an additional 33 beds there.
“We’re also looking at an Emergency Department development and also our Outpatient Department – we want to develop a new OPD and to push on really and develop services for patients.”
Meanwhile the move to University Hospital status for South Tipp General is slowly starting to bear fruit.
The facility was upgraded last May in what was seen as a major boost – it’s partnered academically with UCC.
Professor Peter Murchan is based at TUH – speaking to Tipp FM he said the move is important for the hospital across a number of departments.
“It gives a proper status because we’ve been working at that level for many years.
“We have a lot of young graduates from nursing schools, from medical schools, the cardiac technicians, from radiography, physiotherapy, nutritional services, occupational therapy, speech and language therapists – its not just nursing and medical students.
“We’ve managed to recruit some of them to stay on, particularly in nursing.”
