Another step forward in efforts to have new midland hospice built

A significant move forward towards provision of the new Midland Hospice was achieved last week at a meeting in Tullamore of representatives of the local hospice groups in North Westmeath, Tullamore, Laois and Longford.

Agreement was reached to set up as a limited company an “executive group” comprising two representatives of each of the local hospice groups, and speakers identified two sources of potential funding assistance for the €16m project.

The attendance of around 40 opted to set a deadline of the end of this month for the receipt of nominations, with a view to having the first meeting by mid-March.

An independent chairperson is also to be sought, and while the chairperson and hospice representatives are to work in a voluntary capacity, a salaried project manager is to be engaged to run the project.

The move comes just two months after an allocation of €1m was announced for the new hospice by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. A site adjacent to Tullamore hospital has for some time been earmarked for the Midlands Regional Hospice and architect plans for a 16-bed unit have been commissioned by the Offaly Hospice movement and presented to the HSE.

Assurances were given that even after the regional hospice opens, the homecare teams will be kept fully in place and augmented or improved and there will be outreach clinics from the hospice when it is up and running.

The plans which the Offaly Hospice group has funded – once reviewed and finalised – will be submitted for planning permission.

“Significant” money, understood to be in the region of €1m, has been collected for the hospice by the Lions Club in Tullamore.