Tipperary Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has asked the HSE for a full response on the suitability of Our Lady’s Hospital in Cashel as an alternative location for the proposed Community Nursing Unit(CNU).
Deputy Browne raised the option with the HSE as the uncertainty regarding the location of the proposed new CNU continues. The most recent update from the HSE is that an alternative access point is being examined to make lands the HSE owns at Palmers Hill, Cashel a viable option – the unit was to go for planning permission in 2019 at St Patrick’s hospital.
The Cashel TD says that after being able to consider the plans that were eventually made available to local representatives, it is apparent that one of the alternative locations that has not come into the conversation is Our Lady’s Hospital. The hospital is currently hosting 40 residents, transferred from St Patricks after Our Lady’s was refurbished early in the pandemic. These 40 patients would be moved in time to the new CNU once it is built – Deputy Browne is highlighting the central location of Our Lady’s and wants consideration be given to developing Our Lady’s as the new CNU.
This option may be more cost effective than a new site and could also address the issue of access routes, which may become an issue of contention for any new site. Deputy Browne has asked the HSE to consider the proposal and to confirm if consideration has already been given to this location, and if any studies have been done to ascertain the suitability of Our Lady’s to become the de facto 60 bed CNU.
