A new stand-alone, two-theatre surgical hub will be constructed in Sligo to serve the North West including Boyle and North Roscommon.
The Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has given her support to the significant new investments in healthcare infrastructure for the region – including surgical hubs in both Sligo and Letterkenny, following a proposal from the CEO of the Health Service Executive (HSE), Bernard Gloster.
The two theatre Sligo hub, which will be located on a site close to Sligo Hospital, will significantly expand elective surgical capacity in the region. Drawing on the successful models already in place at Tallaght and Mount Carmel in Dublin, the hub will help reduce waiting times and improve access to scheduled surgical care.
Speaking on the proposals, the Minister said: “The Programme for Government committed to exploring the provision of a surgical hub for the North-West. I have consistently highlighted the need to ensure that patients in this region have access to sufficient and timely surgical capacity. Increasing surgical activity in the West and North-West is a clear priority”.
“These investments align with our Ambulatory Elective Day Care Strategy and the National Cancer Control Programme. They will ensure that patients in the North-West have timely access to high-quality surgical and oncology care”.
“I look forward to returning to see the progress of these developments, which will make a real and lasting difference to people’s lives in the region.”
Local TD Frank Feighan said: “This will be of benefit to everyone who lives in the Northwest and attends Sligo or Letterkenny hospitals for treatment. The surgical hubs will provide sufficient and timely surgical capacity.”
“This is about getting wait list times down and letting people access services close to home. The population is growing and people need access to local small surgical services. It will be cost-effective, quick and will deliver what people need. They shouldn’t have to go to Galway for everything.” concluded Deputy Feighan.
The HSE will now proceed with the development of planning applications for both sites, engaging with relevant local authorities, which will be prepared in parallel, ensuring a coordinated and efficient rollout of these critical healthcare projects.
