€4m allocated for Cork University Hospital to be major trauma centre

Funding of €4m has been allocated to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for development in to one of just two major trauma centres (MTCs) in the country.

The funding, allocated under Budget 2025 for the further implementation of the National Trauma Strategy, will provide additional staff at the CUH to deal with serious injuries.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced that nationally, 90 additional staff will be assigned to an inclusive trauma system.

The funding will enable additional staffing for the opening and commissioning of important capital projects at the two major trauma centres: The CUH and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in Dublin.

A portion of the funding will also go towards the establishment of a trauma unit at University Hospital Galway, trauma-care services at Galway’s Merlin Park University Hospital, and additional staffing for the trauma units at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda and University Hospital Waterford.

Mr Donnelly said: “The funding I have allocated for 2025 brings the total investment in the National Trauma Strategy to €16.65m, to date.

“Building on significant progress, the investment in 2025 will ensure the continued delivery of an inclusive trauma system.

“International best practice tells us that the introduction of inclusive trauma systems significantly reduces the number of deaths and disabilities caused by major trauma.”

Concentrating the care of severely injured patients in dedicated major trauma centres improves access to care, reduces length of stay, and gives better outcomes for patients.

The first phase of the trauma strategy implementation saw the establishment of two MTCs for the Central and South Trauma Networks, with services officially launched in the Mater and CUH in April 2023.

Since 2018, almost €18m of capital investment has also been provided for the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and Cork University Hospital trauma services.

CUH received the highest allocation of beds nationally as part of the Government’s Acute Hospital Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan earlier this year, with 412 additional beds due to be delivered by 2031.

This plan is aimed at helping fund the hospital’s comprehensive campus capital plan, which includes the construction of a trauma, acute, and critical care (TACC) tower building. The latter will provide around 200 of these additional beds.

Capital approval was also previously granted to construct and install two additional trauma/resuscitation bays and a CT scanner in the current emergency department.