Minister for Health Mr Martin has announced plans for 850 extra hospital beds under a pilot Public Private Partnership scheme.
The scheme will be piloted in the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) and in the South Health Board (SHB) area, where the problem of lack of long-stay beds is most acute.
The pilot projects will initially focus on the provision of long-stay accommodation for the elderly in community nursing units.
The Department anticipates 17 such units will be created when the pilot programme is complete, providing a maximum of 850 beds.
