The Sisters of Mercy, Board of Management, patients and staff of the National Rehabilitation Hospital are delighted to welcome the announcement made by an Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore TD and the Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, which confirmed a significant capital development on the campus of the existing hospital. This development, which is a partnership between the HSE and the NRH Foundation, would see the existing 120 bed facility at the NRH replaced by a new 120 bed facility including integrated therapy services. This facility which would be purpose built, specifically to accommodate the needs of those requiring complex specialist rehabilitation services and would comply with best international practice and SARI guidelines.
Dr James Reilly, Minister for Health, in announcing this development said “For far too long, patients who required prolonged rehabilitation have been receiving excellent care in an environment that falls well short of that. The lack of privacy in the current facility will now be addressed through this state of the art modern development providing best care in the best environment.
The Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore said ‘The National Rehabilitation Hospital is a landmark institution. It is part of our history and, with this major redevelopment of the 120 bed facility, it marks a new phase in our future. A future where health services are built around the needs of patients, at every stage of their rehabilitation and recovery. The development of a world class rehabilitation hospital for Ireland has a key role in this objective, and it is a statement of our values, even in these very straitened times.’
The Chairman, Henry Murdoch also welcomed this long overdue development by stating “At last we will have a modern new facility that will be purpose built and designed to meet the needs of all our patients. It will be a major enhancement to rehabilitation services in the country and will have a direct and significant impact on patient recovery by providing an optimal ward and therapeutic environment for their treatment in the NRH.”
Mr Murdoch added “We are particularly delighted that even in the current economic climate, that this development has been prioritised and actioned by the Government.”
An architect led Design Feasibility Study has been completed on behalf of the HSE which demonstrates that the hospital can continue to provide the existing level of services at all times during the redevelopment. The HSE, in partnership with the National Rehabilitation Hospital will now proceed with appointment of a Design Team.
The National Rehabilitation Hospital celebrated its 50th year as the national provider of complex specialised rehabilitation services for patients from throughout Ireland in 2011.
Ends
____________________________________________________________
NOTE TO EDITOR:
As the project is at an early stage of development tenders have not been issued. More definitive costs will only be known after valid tenders are evaluated. Estimated costs are commercially sensitive and it is not proposed to release estimates.
The National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) is a voluntary hospital that provides a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient Complex Specialised Rehabilitation Services (CSRS) for adult and paediatric patients. The NRH serves patients from throughout Ireland, who have acquired a physical or cognitive disability as a result of an accident, illness or injury.
Complex Specialised Rehabilitation Services (CSRS)
Some specific examples of injury or illness associated with CSRS include:
• Acquired Brain Injury
• Severe neurological illness or injury (e.g. Multiple Sclerosis, Guillain Barre
Syndrome)
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Amputation or limb loss
• Persons with challenging behavioural manifestations.
At NRH, care to patients is delivered by Interdisciplinary Teams and is designed around Rehabilitation Programmes and individual patient need.
Rehabilitation Programmes are tailored to meet the individual needs of patients with complex disability, associated with:
Brain Injury (including traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury, Stroke, and other neurological conditions)
Spinal Cord System of Care (including traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury)
Prosthetic, Orthotic and Limb Absence Rehabilitation (POLAR)
Paediatric-Family Centred Rehabilitation
The NRH is externally accredited by CARF (Commission for Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities), an internationally recognised, independent accreditation system.
All of our Clinical Programmes are delivered by Consultants Led Interdisciplinary Teams. Our focus is to provide personalised treatment programmes dedicated to returning patients to the highest level of independence possible following their injury / Illness.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE NATIONAL REHABILITATION HOSPITAL
· The National Rehabilitation is a fully publicly funded facility with:
In-patient capacity : 119 beds
11 currently closed (since October 2007). In addition, 9 beds are temporarily closed due to essential remedial and ward upgrade building works to comply with HIQA requirements.
Hospital Budget for 2012 is €23.4m.
The total number of hospital employees is 403 (360 WTE).
· Over the last 50 years the NRH has cared for over 35,000+ Inpatients from throughout Ireland
· During this time, we have reviewed in excess of 200,000+ persons in our Outpatient services
· Currently there are 109 beds available for inpatient admissions to NRH:-
- 46 beds for patients with Acquired Brain Injury, including Stroke
- 38 inpatient beds dedicated to those with Spinal Injury
- 17 beds for Amputee / Limb Absence
- 8 beds for Paediatrics
· 90% of our inpatient admissions come from the acute hospital network and 10% from primary care services.
· The average regional HSE % distribution of our inpatient admissions is:
- 36% HSE Dublin Mid Leinster
- 21% HSE West
- 23% HSE South
- 20% HSE Dublin North East
· The average length of inpatient stay per programme is:
- Brain Injury Programme total (including Stroke) 67 days
- Spinal Cord System of Care – 84 days
- Prosthetic, Orthotic and Limb Absence Rehabilitation (POLAR) – 54 days
· The average discharge destination for patients who have completed their rehabilitation programme is:
- Discharged to Home - 80%
- Back to Acute Hospital for non-medical reasons – 10%
- To residential /nursing care – 10%
Further information is available on the NRH Website – www.nrh.ie