Health Service Executive management at Cork University Hospital said yesterday the hospital was hopeful of resolving a dispute with the Irish Nurses' Organisation and was committed to opening a €12.8 million emergency department next week.
The hospital's general manager, Tony McNamara, said it hoped a meeting scheduled for last night with INO representatives would provide the necessary clarification for the INO on staffing levels at the new unit to allow them co-operate with its planned opening next week.
"We remain committed to opening the unit on April 18th," said Mr McNamara yesterday afternoon during a guided tour for the press of the facility, which will cost about €4 million a year to run.
The new emergency department can deal with about 60,000 patients a year and replaces the existing accident and emergency department, which is currently seeing some 42,000 patients, and an eye treatment unit, which treats a further 11,000 patients.
The hospital's consultant in emergency medicine, Dr Stephen Cusack, said the new unit would have a 70 per cent increase in staff, making for a more efficient service for patients and a better working environment for all working there.
The new facility includes a separate triage area where patients are assessed, separate facilities for the care of children, a treatment area for minor injuries and a four-bay resuscitation area with dedicated radiology and diagnostic-imaging facilities.
The unit also includes 16 treatment places, a specialist facility for emergency eye treatment as well as decontamination unit for treating both patients with infectious diseases and those who have suffered hazardous chemical or radioactive contamination.