HSE recruiting consultants for Birr nursing unit revamp

The HSE has initiated a tendering process for design consultants who will be working on a major overhaul of the existing facilities at Birr Community Nursing Unit.

The community nursing unit at Sandymount, Townparks, Birr, has capacity for 76 beds, but, at present, only 12 of these are provided in single, ensuite bedrooms.

The HSE Capital Plan for 2025, which was published in April, included details of a project that would see the nursing unit in Birr being refurbished to provide 76 single ensuite bedrooms.

It said this would be achieved by constructing extensions to the facility and by the reconfiguration of "existing multi-occupancy and two-bed rooms".

On May 15, the HSE went to tender seeking a design team framework of specialists across a range of disciplines including architecture, quantity surveying, engineering, fire prevention and urban planning.

It stated that the overall value of the contract for these design specialists would be between €15 million and €60 million, and that they would be in place for a period of 48 months in order to work on HSE capital projects across Longford, Westmeath, Laois, Offaly, Kildare and West Wicklow.

Importantly, from an Offaly perspective, the tendering notice states that the initial project on which the specilists would be working would be the Birr Community Nursing Unit development.

It was stated that the overhaul of the facility to provide 76 single ensuite bedrooms was required to comply with current HIQA (Health Information and Quality Authority) standards.

"The remodelling will also include provision of additional day space in each household or suite, to give choice for residents for dining and recreation as existing space is limited to accommodate both," the HSE states in the tender documents.

"The facility provides accommodation for long-stay residents, and it is proposed to include new services and upgrade existing (services).

The documents refer to the day care service provided at Birr Community Nursing Unit and state that a new dining room would be required "so the clients attending are provided with a separate dining space".

Consultants are required to devise the extension and reconfiguration project "whilst retaining full occupancy and continuation of service at the facility."

The closing date for submission of tenders is June 16.