Government “priority” projects, such as the New Children’s Hospital (NCH), dominate the new HSE’s Capital Plan 2025, while funding is also provided across a range of other areas.
The plan promises to make available €173.29 million to continue the expansion of the surgical hub programme.
This will include the complete construction of the North Dublin Surgical Hub in Swords, Co Dublin.
It also earmarks €35.41 million for primary care in 2025, including specific projects in counties Offaly, Waterford and Monaghan.
In 2025, €17.8 million will be provided to expand and maintain the ambulance vehicle fleet, as well as the provision of “new infrastructure and the modernisation of existing ambulance bases”.
In the section on ‘women’s health’, some €25.71 million is promised to fund projects, such as the New National Maternity Hospital and other areas such as the women’s health hub at the Coombe Women’s Hospital, Dublin.
However, according to the plan, there are a number of “challenges” facing the HSE this year.
These include the impact of current and future construction inflation on all projects and the transition to the new six health regions.
Increasing costs associated with new building standards and building regulations are also flagged, as well as having “sustainable levels” of skilled resources within HSE Capital and Estates required to oversee the delivery of the plan.
The plan provides €200 million towards the completion of the NCH.
However, it is noted that any “fluctuation” in expenditure on the NCH would have a significant impact on the remainder of the capital programme.
Funding for specific programmes include critical care, local injury units, urgent emergency care, elective hospitals, specialist disability services, enhanced community care, older persons and the multi-annual mental health capital plan, currently in preparation.
“Significant investment is made in the acute inpatient bed capacity expansion plan, prioritising patient safety, with developments at varying stages of delivery and a pipeline of additional projects in progress or at design stage,” according to the document.
The 2025 plan contains total funding for the construction and equipping of healthcare facilities of €1.33 billion.
“The continued significant investment in infrastructure underlines the Government’s commitment to improving quality healthcare in a sustainable way,” said Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.
“By increasing capacity in our hospitals and developing the necessary infrastructure to enable greater provision of care in communities, we are getting closer to making the vision of Sláintecare a reality; delivering a quality healthcare service to everyone in Ireland.”
*For full document see https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/capital-plan-2025.pdf
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