The North Eastern Health Board is seeking Government approval for a £25 million plan to upgrade services at the five acute hospitals in Counties Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan.
The improvements are outlined in a framework document entitled "North East hospitals - the next five years", which was endorsed by members of the health board at their monthly meeting in Kells yesterday.
The plan, if implemented, would bring hospital services in the area up to the level of those in other regions, the health board's CEO, Mr Donal O'Shea, told the meeting.
Since 1993 the five hospitals in the north-east have operated as two separate groups - Louth-Meath and Cavan-Monaghan - with shared consultants and joint clinical departments in each group. According to Mr O'Shea, this has enabled 34 new and replacement posts to be filled, "whereas up to that the board could not re-fill an existing consultant post on a permanent basis or create a new position".
The new document was a continuation of the grouping policy and had been drawn up to meet the expectations of the public and the changes in medical technology, Mr O'Shea said.
"The public expects easy access to the most up-to-date services and to care programmes which include rapid diagnosis and treatment. Patients also want to spend less time in hospital and to avail of appropriate after-care in the community through their GP."
Under the plan, £8.5 million is earmarked for Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, to provide a new accident and emergency department, theatre suite, intensive care unit, day hospital and expanded child-care facilities.
Developments at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan will cost £6.5 million and include a new regional orthopaedic unit, day hospital, casualty department, and out-patient and child facilities. A £4 million investment at the Louth County Hospital in Dundalk will include a new regional orthodontic unit, acute psychiatry unit, maternity unit, casualty department and coronary care unit.
The £5 million modernisation for Monaghan General Hospital will include a new maternity unit, casualty department, theatres suites, and medical and surgical wards. One million pounds is needed for Cavan General to develop a new day hospital, geriatric assessment beds and out-patient and child-care facilities.
A further £2 million is to be sought to upgrade the ambulance service in the north-east.
It is estimated that the provision of the additional services will cost the health board an extra £11 million a year and will require 132 new posts for medical, nursing, paramedical, non-nursing and clerical personnel.
The health board will now seek approval for the plan from Comhairle na hOspideal and the funding to implement it from the Department of Health.