St Finbarr’s hospital lodges plans for new units

PLANS have been lodged to revamp St Finbarr’s Hospital on the Douglas Road, with a new community nursing unit and residential care unit proposed.

Cork City Council planners are due to deliver a decision in October for the hospital which provides residential care services for the elderly.

“We are very pleased that this important project has moved to the next phase,” a spokesperson for Cork Kerry Community Healthcare told The Echo.

“The new Community Nursing Unit will replace several older buildings on the site, and will provide modern, comfortable accommodation for residents.

“We look forward to the project moving ahead and to providing high-quality care for residents in what will be a fantastic building.

“When complete, the new unit will allow us to provide person-centred, compassionate care in a dignified manner, thanks to the fact that most of the accommodation will be in single rooms.”

The proposed redevelopment of the hospital will comprise of a two and four-storey split level community nursing unit/residential care unit with the fourth floor comprising set-back plant rooms and maintenance accommodation.

The development will have 105 en-suite bedrooms including 30 en-suite bedrooms for dementia residents with associated resident accommodation including dining rooms, kitchenettes, day rooms, sunrooms, activities room, quiet rooms, residential areas with a family overnight room, visitor’s room, treatment room and a hairdresser salon; internal courtyards and terrace spaces.

St. Finbarr’s Hospital has a residential hospital facility on site which caters for older persons who require a high level of nursing and medical care. Persons admitted to the hospital are of maximum nursing and medical needs dependency.

The hospital functions as a hospital and is not a nursing home. The hospital is also supported by the ‘Friends of St. Finbarr’s’ voluntary groups.

St Finbarr’s is able to look after resident patients when they become unwell and would normally require treatment in an acute hospital.