Cabinet confirms inpatient services at new hospital for Galway

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – The Cabinet has given approval for the proposed new elective hospital for Galway to include inpatient services.

The hospital, which is widely expected to be located on the grounds of Merlin Park Hospital, will be delivered in two phases – commencing with day cases, diagnostics and outpatients, followed by inpatient treatment.

Galway West TD and Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton said that Cabinet gave a commitment on Tuesday to inpatient treatment.

“I very much welcome the decision of my Cabinet colleagues which will allow the Galway elective hospital project proceed to the next stages ahead of design and construction.

“A new elective hospital is of paramount importance to Galway if we are to tackle the mounting waiting lists for patients in Galway and the wider region. Critically, the decision taken at Cabinet today specifically commits to inpatient treatment. I have long campaigned for the greater provision of inpatient capacity and today’s decision is a positive step in delivering just that,” she said.

Minister Naughton said that further engagement will be required with the clinicians and stakeholders before the plans proceed further.

“We need to ensure that this new and critical piece of infrastructure is fit for purpose and will achieve our collective goal of substantially reducing our elective care waiting lists.”

This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of this story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.