Proposed surgical hub at CUH to open in 2025 

A DECISION on the proposed surgical hub on the campus of Cork University Hospital (CUH) is expected shortly, with the new facility to be operational in 2025, if approved.

The update was provided by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, who also briefed Cabinet on the latest developments regarding the elective hospitals.

“We are making significant progress in reducing waiting lists, and the development of surgical hubs and elective hospitals will really help to drive a further reduction in the number of patients waiting for treatment in 2024 and beyond,” he said.

“These new facilities will deliver a step change in the way we deliver elective care in this country.

“Better delivery of elective care will also free up capacity for our emergency departments and critical care facilities.”

Elective hospital

The Department of Health said the HSE is managing the development and delivery of the elective hospitals, and has been developing “detailed plans for the workstreams required, including workforce, digital/ICT, clinical and operational, public engagement, and consultation”.

“Procurement of an architect-led integrated design team and project controls team, to lead the next stage of work and take forward the design to pre-tender stage readiness, is in the final stages — with appointments expected over the summer,” the department added.

The four elective hospitals are set to be delivered at two sites in Dublin, in Galway, and on the grounds of St Stephen’s Hospital, Sarsfield Court, Glanmire.

Surgical hub

In advance of the hospitals, six surgical hubs are proposed to be delivered — including one at CUH.

The delivery of new hubs are expected to open to patients this year and next year across the country to deliver more day-case elective care.

Cork City Council is due to make a decision on the planning application for the Cork hub shortly.

The local authority had requested some further information on the plans, the responses to which were furnished to the council in March.

A planning report submitted with the application said the provision of the surgical hubs is “an important and urgent healthcare infrastructure, that is required to address both the national and local healthcare surgery provision and capacity needs for scheduled day surgeries across the southwestern region”.

The surgical hub would comprise of four operating theatres, plus two minor procedure rooms.

It is envisaged, the report said, that there will be approximately 143 patients accessing the facility per day by appointment, with a maximum of 100 staff members working per day.