caring Communication

New Year New Rehabilitation Unit
for St Ita’s Community Hospital
The new year got off to a good start for St
Ita’s Community Hospital in Newcastle West
with Minister Lynch on campus in January to
officially open the new purpose built Rehabilitation
Unit for the people of Co Limerick.
The new Unit was developed at a cost of
€2.5m in a partnership between the HSE and
the Friends of St Ita’s. The Friends were supported
in their €1.4m contribution by the JP
McManus foundation.
The new facility which replaces the older
14-bedded unit providing rehabilitation has a
capacity for 22 beds allowing room to expand
the service into the future.
Kathleen Lynch, Minister of State with responsibility
for Primary Care, Social Care and
Mental Health, said she was delighted to officially
open the new unit.
“This new unit provides excellent facilities
for the people of County Limerick, and will
offer a first class service for patients at a
crucial stage of their recovery from illness or
trauma. The opening of this new unit builds
on the excellent work of St Ita’s Community
Hospital in providing public care to our older
people over so many years and in so many different
ways,” she said.
“I would like to acknowledge the very generous
support from the Friends of St Ita’s and
cannot emphasise enough the importance of
local communities being involved in supporting
their own services. This new Unit clearly
demonstrates what can be achieved through
partnership.”
facilities
The new Rehabilitation Unit is a single storey
building that comprises of eight single and
seven two-bedded rooms, all with en suite
facilities. The unit also includes a centralised
dining/sitting room, nurses’ station as well as
office accommodation and utilities.
The design of the new unit and outdoor
space is bright, comfortable and modern.
The Rehabilitation Unit is well equipped and
accessible for those availing of in-patient
rehabilitative services. Principal contractors
for the project were O’Brien’s Builders with
O’Connell Mahon appointed as architects. The
project was managed by HSE Estates.
Ann McMorrow, Director of Nursing, welcomed
the new development, saying, “The
opening of the new Rehabilitation Unit at St
Ita’s Community Hospital marks a new phase
in the delivery of modern rehabilitative services
and complements the many other health
services in Co Limerick. People can now avail
of the excellent rehabilitation service we al-
ways had but in a state of the art, comfortable
setting.”
Fergus Scanlon, representing the Friends
of St Ita’s Community Hospital, commented,
“Needless to say, the Friends of St Ita’s are
thrilled that we have finally reached this point
in time which sees this beautiful state-of-theart
facility reaching fruition.“It marks the culmination
of a five year fundraising campaign,
involving many wonderful people, groups,
clubs and organisations whose outstanding
support and unparalleled generosity has had
a major input towards this very successful
outcome, of which, we can all be justly proud.
And for that, the Friends wish to say a very
big thank you to one and all and, in particular,
a very special thank you to the great JP Mc-
Manus without whose support this fabulous
22-bedded Rehabilitation Unit would not be
here today.”
maximise
Bernard Gloster, Chief Officer, HSE Mid-
West Community Healthcare, said, “Rehabilitation
is extremely important in the care journey
for so many and this purpose built Unit
has been carefully designed to maximise the
effectiveness of the services. We are very fortunate
to continue to have a Consultant led
rehabilitation service in St Ita’s and I want to
commend the work of Dr Margaret O’Connor,
Consultant Geriatrician, her team and all of
the staff and management of the Community
Hospital in all wards for what they do every
day of the week.
“In saying thank you to the Friends group
I am aware this opening comes with the
retirement of the Chair of the group, Fergus
Scanlon, from that role. I want to pay tribute
to the generosity of spirit that Fergus and his
colleagues have shown in so many ways to St.
Ita’s over the years.
“I also want to thank HSE Estates, O’Brien’s
Builders and O’Connell Mahon Architects and
all who input into this development becoming
a reality where 14 people are receiving
services today and we have room to expand in
the future.
“I am, as always, grateful to the Minister for
her time and support to what we are doing
here in the Mid-West.”
TOP: Minister Lynch with members of the Friends of
St Ita’s Community Hospital who generously fundraised
for the new Unit. (Back row, left to right) Sheila
Walsh, Member of the Friends; Irene O’Connor,
HSE; Fergus Scanlan, Chair of the Friends; Bernard
Gloster, Chief Officer, HSE Mid-West; Maria Bridgeman,
Senior Operations Manager, Primary Care
for Limerick and North Tipperary, HSE Mid-West;
Mary Phillips and Kay Moloney, members of the
Friends. (Front row, left to right) Cora Mullane; Mary
Kennedy; and Margaret Culhane, all members of
the Friends; Minister Kathleen Lynch and Geraldine
Loughnane, member of the Friends. In the foreground
is John Joe Nash, resident of St Ita’s and
a major supporter and fundraiser for the Friends
and Jeremiah Sheahan, resident of St Ita’s who also
presented his original artwork to Minister Lynch to
commemorate her visit. ABOVE: Jeremiah Sheahan,
originally from Tournafulla, Co Limerick and now
resident of St Ita’s Community Hospital presents his
original artwork to Minister Lynch to commemorate
her visit.
spring 2016 | health matters | 55