Calls are being made for an air ambulance base to be developed in Clare to help improve patient safety in this county.
It follows the announcement that a site has been purchased in Limerick to facilitate the development of a new hospital campus for the Midwest.
The Minister for Health this week officially announced details of the new 43-acre site acquired in Limerick with a view to developing a new hospital campus aimed at tackling overcrowding in the Midwest.
It will be located at a strategic site in Raheen, which is already zoned, meaning the hospital development can now move towards the design phase.
Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has reassured that Clare is at the centre of plans for healthcare in the Midwest, and it’s understood she intends to visit Ennis Hospital and the West of the county to assess where further investment may be required.
Clare’s Fianna Fail TD has acknowledged the new facility will alleviate pressure on UHL, but suggests that for many in areas such West and North Clare, where travel times to the new location could exceed an hour and a half, the development “doesn’t offer much comfort”.
Meelick Deputy Cathal Crowe is calling for the new hospital project to be accelerated, and insists clarity is needed on definitive plans for the expansion of Ennis.
A cross-party meeting with the National Ambulance Service is due to take place next week to discuss additional ambulance services for Clare, during which a call will be made for an air ambulance base to be developed in the west of the county.
Bodyke Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney says while it’s disappointing the new hospital won’t be located in this county, the new site is “ideal” and brings improved healthcare for the entire region one step closer.
Deputy Cooney insists, however, that timely access to emergency healthcare provision remains crucial for people living in the most remote parts of the county and he’s confident the Minister will take steps to improve facilities in Clare.
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