NRH gets green light for 235-bed facility

WAITING TIMES for admission to the State's largest rehabilitation facility should radically reduce after the Dublin-based National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) was granted planning permission for a 235-bed facility.

The hospital, located in Dún Laoghaire, has been experiencing severe pressure on services and currently waiting times are up to three months for admission, with 148 people currently on waiting lists for in-patient care in the 119-bed hospital.

Dr Áine Carroll, chairwoman of the hospital's medical board, said the new development should have a significant impact on waiting times, but warned an increase in staffing would be essential to any radical reductions.

"Our goal is to be able to provide new services to a greater number of patients," she said.

"This new building will enable us to achieve our goals of helping patients return to the highest level of function and independence possible, but we will not see large-scale improvements until we have secured the funding for staff we require."

The NRH is the State's only rehabilitation hospital for brain injuries and people recovering from stroke and spinal injuries. It is conservatively estimated that there are 10,000 new brain injuries a year in Ireland and the hospital provides education to patients who, following such an illness or injury, require dedicated rehabilitation services.

The new facility will be located on the current hospital site. The development is expected to cost in excess of €200 million and the works will be funded by the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. Building is expected to commence early next year and should be completed by 2012.

The NRH hopes it can develop a purpose-built world-class hospital and a centre of excellence for the provision and development of consultant-led rehabilitation services for Ireland.

The development will enable patients with traumatic brain injuries as well as prosthetic and paediatric patients to access state-of-the-art facilities. The hospital also hopes to be able to provide further neuropsychiatry, anaesthetic and pain services, as well as a selection of new therapies.

"We need further development of our therapy services, such as social and recreational therapy, which we have none of in Ireland but is very prominent elsewhere in Europe. We believe this would enhance our service greatly," Dr Carroll said.

For the new development to succeed, Dr Carroll believes an increase in the level of funding put into community rehabilitation services is necessary.

"Investment in acute and post-acute services should go in hand with community services, but there is not currently enough funding," she said.