THE development of a new emergency care centre on the campus of Tallaght Hospital has been described as a key milestone in the provision of next generation paediatric care to the children of Ireland.
The location of the children’s satellite centre in Tallaght, as well as one at Connolly Hospital on the Northside, was announced by the Minister for Health, James Reilly last week.
The proposed new stand-alone facility at Tallaght Hospital will incorporate paediatric emergency and urgent care services with a six-bed observation facility as well as out-patient services, and rapid access for GP’ to paediatric care and diagnostics.
As well as catering for general paediatrics, it will also provide nurse-led/healthcare professional clinics for the treatment of children and young people with chronic diseases.
The children’s hospital satellite centre at Tallaght Hospital will cater for an estimated 25,000 emergency and urgent care attendances annually.
It is envisaged that it will provide treatment for the vast majority of these children and young people without the need for admission to an in-patient bed.
The Minister pointed out that the choice of location reflected the current and projected child population base on the Southside as well as taking into consideration ease of access to the hospital for parents and their children.
The CEO of Tallaght Hospital, David Slevin, said the development would be an important building block towards achieving an integrated national children’s health system.
“Paediatrics has been a core service at Tallaght Hospital since its inception,
? he said.
“And the Government’s commitment to providing this state-of-the-art facility means an integral part of the new children’s hospital project will be on the Tallaght Hospital campus as part of the new national paediatric services infrastructure.
?
Mr Slevin pointed out that the vast majority of children and young people attending the three children’s hospitals are treated on the day.
“Paediatric services internationally are being safely delivered with a reducing reqÂuire- Âment to admit children as in-patients and the new satellite facility will reflect this increasing modern trend,
? he stated.
“I look forward to seeing this initiative coming to fruition over the coming years as it heralds an exciting new chapter for the care of children across the Irish health system.
?
Senator Cáit Keane also welcomed the announcement.
“In particular, I welcome the Tallaght centre as it is much needed in the wider area,
? she said.
“It is my understanding that as well as urgent care, each centre will also provide secondary acute outpatient services, including rapid access general paediatric clinics.
?
Meanwhile, there has been a significant drop in waiting times at St James’s and Crumlin hospitals.
Deputy Catherine Byrne (FG) said she was delighted to see that patients on the Southside and throughout the country were experiencing shorter waiting times for inpatient and outpatient appointments.
“The total number of patients waiting over eight months for an inpatient or day case procedure in Crumlin Hospital has been reduced from 199 in 2011 to 64 in 2013,
? she said.
“This represents a decrease of 68 per cent.
“The numbers of patients waiting over eight months for an inpatient or day case procedures over the same period in St James’s Hospital has decreased by 78 per cent.
?