<\/p>\n
Reprint of Press Release from the Connolly for Kids Hospital (C4KH) group issued\u00a0 20 months ago.<\/p>\n
A shameful decision was taken by the government today with the awarding of the Construction Contract to build the new National Children\u2019s Hospital in Dublin\u2019s inner city.<\/p>\n
It is going to be\u00a0the most expensive Children’s Hospital in the world and,\u00a0far from being the \u00a0‘world-class’ hospital claimed by government, it is actually unfit for purpose<\/u>\u00a0and\u00a0 a waste of public money because of many deficiencies:<\/p>\n
There are not enough beds – proportionately\u00a0fewer than we had in 2012\u00a0– with thousands of children on waiting lists!<\/p>\n
There are not enough operating theatres – the new children’s hospital in Liverpool (the Alder Hey) has 270 beds and 16 operating theatres –\u00a0the NPH has 473 beds and 18 operating theatres.\u00a0Instead of 18 theatres, proportionately the NPH\u00a0should have\u00a029\u00a0theatres.<\/u>\u00a0 (Crumlin and Temple St. surgeons asked for more but were completely ignored.)<\/p>\n
There are not enough parking spaces – fewer per bed\u00a0than Crumlin had\u00a0 per bed in 2010.<\/p>\n
There is not enough\u00a0Family\u00a0Accommodation – the Alder Hey has 270 beds,\u00a0with 83 family rooms in its Ronald McDonald facility. The NPH has 473 beds with only 53 family rooms. Proportionately it should have 145 family rooms<\/u> in its Ronald McDonald facility.<\/p>\n
There is not enough space for a ground helipad to land\u00a0Search and\u00a0 Rescue\u00a0helicopters<\/p>\n
There is not enough research space.\u00a0 The Research Centre is SMALLER\u00a0 than the MINIMUM\u00a0requested\u00a0by the researchers, with NO ROOM to expand.\u00a0 It can accommodate a\u00a0maximum\u00a0of 50 researchers compared to 450-500 at Melbourne and at Brisbane Children\u2019s \u00a0and 2,000 at Toronto Children’s Hospital.<\/p>\n
There is not enough space for individual offices for social workers, psychologists or doctors to\u00a0work in or speak privately to\u00a0parents. – Hot-desking will be the rule.<\/p>\n
There is not sufficient expansion space for future development.<\/p>\n
It is the most difficult hospital in the country for ambulances to get to (according to the experts -ambulance drivers). Remember it will be\u00a0 the only <\/u>\u2018local\u2019 hospital for children for the greater Dublin region- and beyond.<\/p>\n
As long as there is no co-located maternity hospital\u00a0(and that is a pipe-dream) babies will die and many will be disabled.<\/p>\n
Lack of parking provision will lead to serious staffing problems<\/u> \u2013which will compromise patient care.<\/p>\n
It turns out that the\u00a0most expensive children’s hospital in the world is very far from ‘world class’ – it is not even fit for purpose.<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n A truly world class hospital can be built at Connolly hospital in Blanchardstown-\u00a0FASTER and at a saving of at least \u20ac250 Million of taxpayers’\u00a0money.\u00a0 That hospital would also have the critical\u00a0immediate\u00a0maternity co-location (new Rotunda).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note to editors:<\/p>\n Press Contacts<\/p>\n Dr Fin Breatnach 087 2569138\u00a0 ( New Children’s Hospital Alliance)<\/p>\n Ms Aisling McNiffe 087 2484000 (The ExtraSpecial Kids Group)<\/p>\n Mr Jonathan Irwin 087 2558451 (Jack and Jill Foundation)<\/p>\n Dr Roisin Healy 086 6020601 (New Children’s Hospital Alliance)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Reprint of Press Release from the Connolly for Kids Hospital (C4KH) group issued\u00a0 20 months ago. Press Release : Connolly for Kids Hospital ; 26th April 2017 A shameful decision was taken by the government today with the awarding of the Construction Contract to build the new National Children\u2019s Hospital in Dublin\u2019s inner city. … Continue reading What we said on 26th April 2017<\/span>