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24/02/2003
Acute services to be centred at Enniskillen
Months of indecision over where to locate acute services in the west province finally ended today, as the NIO Health Minister revealed that the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen had been given the nod ahead of Omagh's Tyrone County Hospital.
In what was described by the government as the "most significant programme of acute hospital reorganisation ever made in Northern Ireland", the NIO Minister Des Browne also unveiled a £500 million kickstart to the capital investment programme in acute hospitals – a programme which will amount to £1.2 billion over the next 10 years.
Mr Browne said that it had been a "difficult" decision, but the new hospital to the north of Enniskillen would be online in six years time at a cost of around £100 million.
Mr Browne said: "The current profile of hospital services is no longer appropriate and we are trying to sustain too many acute hospitals for the size of our population. ‘Developing Better Services’ proposed around nine acute hospitals for Northern Ireland and the responses broadly endorsed that level of provision.”
The Minister added: “Modernising our hospitals system is not about centralisation or the belief that somehow ‘bigger is best’; it is about getting the best fit of services around the patient. At the heart of this modernisation programme is the recognition that a range of safe, effective high quality care can be offered in smaller hospitals than had previously been thought possible. Patients want more, not fewer local services and the measures I have announced today will start to make that a reality.”
Speaking about the significant capital modernisation programme, Mr Browne said that around £217 million had already been invested. However, the Strategic Investment Programme announced on February 19 includes investment projects of over £300 million for health and personal social services.
Mr Browne said that his department is on track to bring forward proposals for the reform of HPSS organisational structures to around April.
(GMcG)
In what was described by the government as the "most significant programme of acute hospital reorganisation ever made in Northern Ireland", the NIO Minister Des Browne also unveiled a £500 million kickstart to the capital investment programme in acute hospitals – a programme which will amount to £1.2 billion over the next 10 years.
Mr Browne said that it had been a "difficult" decision, but the new hospital to the north of Enniskillen would be online in six years time at a cost of around £100 million.
Mr Browne said: "The current profile of hospital services is no longer appropriate and we are trying to sustain too many acute hospitals for the size of our population. ‘Developing Better Services’ proposed around nine acute hospitals for Northern Ireland and the responses broadly endorsed that level of provision.”
The Minister added: “Modernising our hospitals system is not about centralisation or the belief that somehow ‘bigger is best’; it is about getting the best fit of services around the patient. At the heart of this modernisation programme is the recognition that a range of safe, effective high quality care can be offered in smaller hospitals than had previously been thought possible. Patients want more, not fewer local services and the measures I have announced today will start to make that a reality.”
Speaking about the significant capital modernisation programme, Mr Browne said that around £217 million had already been invested. However, the Strategic Investment Programme announced on February 19 includes investment projects of over £300 million for health and personal social services.
Mr Browne said that his department is on track to bring forward proposals for the reform of HPSS organisational structures to around April.
(GMcG)
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Rain clearing away east by early evening with some clear spells but a few showers likely to affect the North coast and other areas towards dawn, remaining breezy and mild overnight. Minimum temperature 9 °C.
