07/04/2009

Novel Funding Scheme For St Vincent's Hospital Gets Green Light

There has been confirmation that a 120-bedded unit at St. Vincent's Hospital - which will include dedicated facilities for cystic fibrosis patients - will proceed to tender and the unit will be operational as early as possible in 2011.

The Republic's Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney said this week that the project will proceed on the basis that payment will be made at the end of the construction phase.

This is a different way of funding as it involves the construction company financing the development up to the final phase of construction.

The method previously envisaged for the project would have involved staged payments throughout the construction period.

The Minister said: "I am very pleased that an innovative way has been found to deliver this project. As I stated recently, in the current challenging environment we need to find new solutions and this is one of them.

"This project has always been a priority and never ceased to be so. I want to see it progressing now with urgency."

The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland (CFAI) has cautiously welcomed the Minister's announcement, however it is urging that the work begin "sooner rather than later".

In a statement the CFAI said: "This commitment is so important as Ireland has the highest prevalence of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in the World and we have the most severe types of Cystic Fibrosis in the World.

"Despite this, Ireland have the poorest resources for CF Patients in Europe.

"We would also ask the Minister, the Department of Health or the HSE to clarify the situation regarding the six interim beds that were promised as a stop gap until the new facilities were operational.

"Some 14 were promised last March, eight came on line in August and we are still waiting on the remaining six.

"We want our young people living with CF not to fear going into hospital which this unit will achieve for the 300 patients attending St Vincent's, but we would ask that the Minister looks to speeding up the work, not delaying it, as the sooner we have the facilities the more young people's lives will be saved."

(CD/BMcC)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

18 October 2010
Builders Get €20m Hospital Building Boost
The Irish construction sector has received some good news this week with confirmation that work on the €20 million-plus development of a new unit at a Dublin hospital is to commence immediately.
21 May 2012
Limerick Get €13m New Specialist Unit
Limerick’s Mid-Western Regional Hospital is to get a major new unit costing €13m. The unit will offer state of the art facilities to Cystic Fibrosis patients, patients with Parkinson's and women with breast cancer.
08 November 2011
Fianna Fail Welcome CF Inhaler
The Fianna Fáil Health Spokesperson has welcomed the launch of a new hand-held inhaler designed for sufferers of cystic fibrosis. The inhaler cuts down on the time needed to take an antibiotic treatment and is a ‘wireless’ drug called the ‘Podhaler’, which is used instead of the traditional nebuliser.
02 June 2016
Funding For CF Drug Rejected
Funding for the cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi has been rejected by the government. Fianna Fáil TD Darragh O'Brien said he was "bitterly disappointed" with the decision and is calling on Vertex Pharmaceuticals to reduce the price of the drug.
27 November 2012
CFAI Calls For Immediate Resolution To CF Patients Waiting For A Room
The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland has said five CF patients waiting for a room at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin. An agreement was signed in July with the group that a number of rroms would be kept free for CF patients when the new wing of the hospital opened in August.