Over €3m allocated for medical assessment unit at local hospital

A total of €3.29 million is due to be spent this year on reconfiguration works to provide a Mid-term Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU) at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore, according to the recently published HSE National Capital Plan for 2021.

The project will also include two isolation rooms in the emergency department, and a reconfiguration and extension of blood transfusion and histology labs.

It is just one of a number of major developments earmarked for the Tullamore hospital in the plan published recently by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly setting out capital plans for the. Despite only being published in August, the figures announced in the plan are only the spending in 2021 on various projects.

Other noteworthy developments include over half a million euro for ventilation for 11 existing isolation rooms and the conversion of a ward area to provide 16 isolation rooms.

A further €100,000 is also allocated to upgrade fans and ventilation ductwork throughout the hospital.

Refurbishment work at Tullamore Health Centre will be funded to the tune of €390,000, the plan shows, to provide accommodation for administration, dental and audiology services.

Another €100,000 is set aside for design costs for the Midlands Hospice project, adjacent the hospital, encompassing new build 16 bed single ensuite facility with associated ancillary accommodation and day services, outpatient and community home care team accommodation.

Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity and Senator Pippa Hackett has welcomed substantial funding for Laois/Offaly in the recently published capital plan.“It’s encouraging to see that in 2021, €6.25 million will be spent on capital improvements in Laois and €4.4 million will be spent in Offaly on a number of significant projects, which will see improvements in health care facilities across the constituency.”