Newly refurbished emergency department at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital offically opened

The newly refurbished emergency department at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital was officially opened today by Minster for Health Stephen Donnelly.

As Ireland’s only specialist hospital for ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology, the emergency department provides a vital emergency care service for eye and ear, nose and throat conditions.

In the hospital’s current strategic plan, “Seeing the Future: Strategic Plan 2021-26,” demand for services is forecast to be driven by the over 65 age group, which is expected to grow by 37% between 2021 and 2031.

The new Emergency Department (ED) has been specifically developed and reconfigured to meet this increased demand.

The renovated ED includes the introduction of a new phone triage system that was introduced during the recent COVID-19 lockdowns and this is designed to prioritise access for those most in need, reduce wait times and establish more efficient patient flows.

It also forms a key part of the hospital’s plan’s to further modernise its outpatient and its theatres over the next five years.

Working closely with the HSE, the RVEEH has embraced the Government’s Slaintecare programme to deliver much needed services through local community healthcare organisations (CHOs).

These include community care locations in Wicklow Town, Tallaght and Churchtown, all of which are part of CHO 6 (Wicklow, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin Southeast) and CHO 7 (Kildare, West Wicklow, Dublin West, Dublin South West, Dublin South City).

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said, “I’m delighted to be able to open the newly refurbished Emergency Department (ED). The ED has been redesigned to better help meet the needs of patients now and in the future and the approach implements the insight we have gained over the past two years while managing the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to commend the team here in the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital for their ambition and commitment to improving patient care.”

Mr Declan Lyons, CEO, Ireland’s East Hospital Group welcomed the changes to the ED saying, “Today marks another milestone for the Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital. The opening of this newly refurbished emergency department is a positive step in transforming and improving the clinical services for patients requiring emergency specialist eye care and an excellent example of the commitment of IEHG, the HSE and our hospitals working together to improve and deliver on some of the most pressing challenges in the health system.”

Mr Donal Brosnan, Clinical Director, Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital added: “The new Emergency Department is the first significant step in the redevelopment of the physical infrastructure of the Hospital.   This refurbishment has modernised and expanded the clinical space, built three new triage bays and developed a new phone triage area/system for prioritising patients with the greatest clinical need.  We would like to thank the Ireland East Hospital Group and HSE Estates for supporting this development.”