Cashel based Independent councillor Liam Browne is welcoming funding commitments in the HSE Capital Plan released yesterday.
Funding is to be provided to ensure the long delayed 60 bed Community Nursing Unit for Cashel will progress to detailed design phase. The project is delayed due to a HSE decision to wait until the next Cashel Local Area Plan is completed before submitting a Planning Application – the new plan may be completed in 2026 – this has been delayed due to Government changes to the National Planning Framework which was finalised at Cabinet level this week.
The HSE says it’s preferred site for the unit is land that it owns at Palmers Hill, Cashel – it was originally to be developed on the St Patrick’s Hospital site and in recent years public representatives have suggested it be delivered in the former Our Lady’s Hospital building – 40 long term residents from St Patrick’s Hospital have been accommodated at Our Lady’s since the pandemic as it was deemed to be a better option for infection control measures – Minster Mary Butler says these residents will be moved into the new facility when it is built.
Funding is also to be provided for the refurbishment of parts of St Patrick’s Hospital which will allow it to provide interim accommodation for Community Health Network teams in Central Tipperary. This team will consist of between 4-6 primary care teams with GPs involved in delivering services. The Community Health Network is to be further supported with Community Specialist teams for Older Persons and Chronic Disease with the aim of improving the standard of care for four major chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.
