BY CRONAN SCANLON
WORK is expected to start early next year on a massive new ¤25.6 million Emergency Department at Letterkenny General Hospital (LGH).
Letterkenny Town Council has granted permission to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for the development which will comprise a total floor area of 6,600 square metres including a 'state of the art' emergency department.
Speaking after the announcement, Mr Sean Murphy, manager, LGH said: "This facility will provide the residents of Donegal with a purpose-built emergency department that will meet 21st Century emergency care standards".
He added that the wards are predominantly single room facilities which will significantly enhance the control of infection within LGH.
The development will also include an 11-bay medical assessment unit on the ground floor with 30 patient treatment spaces. The current unit has just eight spaces.
Above the emergency department, three additional floors each containing a 24-bed medical ward will be constructed to the latest international and infection control guidance. Another significant departure from previous developments will see each ward consisting of 66% single rooms. In a 24-bed ward 16 of these will be single (of which four will be fitted out to full isolation facility standards). It is intended that these three 24-bed wards will replace the existing 'tired' Medical II and Medical III wards along with the interim short stay ward which was completed earlier this year.
It is also intended to relocate the mortuary chapel to a new access road to the hospital to facilitate a more appropriate setting for the removals from the hospital.
The new development will be sited to the North of the existing radiology building with significant site works being undertaken which will see a new access on to the Kilmacrennan Road and the addition of a "significant" number of parking facilities.
The development which will include an integrated X Ray room and four-bay dedicated resuscitation room. Amongst other space on the ground floor are interview rooms and a relatives room for consultation.
The spokesperson explained the contractor should be on site this time next year.
It is anticipated that, subject to approvals the tender, documentation will be complete shortly with tenders sought immediately. Therefore, depending on the outcome of the tender process and subject to a final HSE sign off, it is envisaged that a contractor could be on site by the autumn.
The new emergency department will be built on a greenfield site and will not require the demolition of the existing facilities. As part of this development, and to facilitate the footprint of the new building, the existing waste facilities and Eestates compound will be relocated and greatly improved.
Dr James McDaid TD also expressed his delight that planning permission has been granted
He praised the tremendous work of the management, staff and the project team at the hospital for all their had work and dedication in ensuring that this project got the green light.
Councillor Ciaran Brogan, Vice Chairperson for the HSE Forum for the West, said it showed the Government was committed to providing a top quality health service at Letterkenny General.
"We've got their full commitment and now it's only a matter of them arranging the tender documents, and once construction begins, there'll be an 18 month timescale until the completion of the job. Credit must go to management of the hospital and the design team, who have been working this report for some time, and all the staff in the hospital," he said.
For more see the Donegal News online pdf editions
