Three-year wait for Cork University Hospital children’s units

Builders will only start work on new children’s units at Cork University Hospital early next year, HSE South West has said, meaning it will be at least 2029 before it is finished.

Planning permission was granted for the six-storey extension in 2022. Healthcare staff and families expected work to begin shortly afterwards.

Frustration has been growing at delays in starting the works.

A HSE spokeswoman said: “We aim to have a contractor on site in Q1 2027, with a 48-month construction programme planned.” However, this timeline is “subject to change as the project progresses”, she added. Tender documents are only due in the last three months of this year. This is also “subject to statutory approvals processes”.

She added: “Phase one enabling works are due to be completed in Q2 2026, with phase three enabling works due to be completed in Q3 2026.”

If construction does finish in 2029, equipping the units will take some months after that. It will hold 82 in-patient rooms, high dependency units, palliative care, haematology beds, procedure rooms, operating theatres, and diagnostics. Pressures on the supra-regional paediatric service have been well aired.

It gets about 25,000 presentations to the emergency department and does 3,500 day procedures every year. In addition, it admits about 5,500 children.

Referrals

Outpatient clinics alone receive almost 6,000 new referrals annually.

Almost all children are treated in Cork with a small number transferred to Children’s Health Ireland in Dublin. This includes about 130 to 140 children transferred to intensive care units every year. CHI runs Ireland’s only children’s ICUs. Small numbers are also transferred for conditions including heart or spinal care.

HSE South West said some pressure will be relieved “in the coming year” with a new assessment unit and high dependency unit.

Fianna Fáil Cork South Central TD Séamus McGrath raised the delay in the Dáil with health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill who said tender documents have yet to be issued.

She said: “The programme and timeline for completion of the new paediatric wing can only be determined based upon the contractors’ tender returns and the contractor ultimately appointed.”

Mr McGrath described the delays as “disappointing”.

“This is a very important project for Cork to deliver enhanced paediatric services at the CUH campus.

“I welcome the fact that enabling works are progressing on-site, however it’s disappointing that there has been some delay with the proposed commencement of the main construction work.”

“It’s critically important that this project progresses without further delays to ensure completion and operation at the earliest possible time.”