THE new Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, has said that the development of the new children’s hospital on a campus shared with St James’s will be a top priority for him.
As he assumes the health portfolio on behalf of the new Government, Minister Harris has declared that the hospital project is at the top of his ‘to-do’ list.
The minister viewed the plans for the world-class hospital last week with children who attend Temple Street Children’s University Hospital.
“Bringing the three children’s hospitals under one roof for the first time on a campus shared with St James’s so that children, young people, families and staff can avail of the facilities that they need and deserve, is a priority for me,” he stated.
The decision last month by An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for the new children’s hospital on a campus shared with St James’s Hospital has been warmly and widely welcomed by families of sick children, the country’s leading paediatric clinicians, and the staff of the three children’s hospitals.
The CEOs of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin; Temple Street Children’s University Hospital and the National Children’s Hospital at Tallaght have also backed the project.
“The children’s hospital is at the centre of a new model of care for paediatric services,” Minister Harris said.
“I am very impressed by the plans and the amount of input that the children, young people and staff have had into their development.”
In addition to the new children’s hospital, planning permission has also been granted for two Paediatric OPD and Urgent Care Centres at Tallaght Hospital and Connolly Hospital which will provide day to day care for children from the Greater Dublin Area outside the M50.
The new children’s hospital will provide day to day care for children living within the M50, as well as with specialist care for children from all over Ireland.
Transition to the new facilities at Tallaght and Connolly hospitals will commence in 2018.
Eilísh Hardiman, CEO of the Children’s Hospital Group, said: “This truly is a watershed moment for children, young people and their families.
“The decision to grant planning permission will positively transform how paediatric services are delivered for children and young people here in Ireland.
Ms Hardiman added: “These buildings are a significant catalyst for how the new national model of care will be delivered.”
Speaking about the positive benefits that the decision will deliver for patients and staff of St James’s Hospital, Lorcan Birthistle, CEO, said: “We welcome the announcement and look forward to continuing to work with the Children’s Hospital Group to ensure that the design and location of the hospital best meets the needs of children and adolescents.
“We are excited at the opportunity this decision presents to further develop world class services on our campus and we look forward to the development of The Coombe Hospital maternity and women’s health services on campus in the future.”
However, there has been some opposition to the plans with the ‘Connolly for Kids Hospital’ campaign group strongly protesting the decision to build the new children’s hospital at James’s.
The ‘We Deserve Better’ campaign, started by a group of parents in support of Connolly for Kids Hospital (C4KH) has demanded that Taoiseach Enda Kenny “flip the sites”.
The campaign wants the National Children’s Hospital to be located at Connolly Hospital with the satellite urgent care unit at St James’s.