merrion street

Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, today officially opened the new Post Anaesthetic Care Unit for patients recovering after surgery at Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital.

Cappagh has been the pioneer of Orthopaedic Surgery in Ireland and is now the largest dedicated elective Orthopaedic hospital in the country. Under the HSE Winter Initiative Cappagh Hospital will receive additional funding for orthopaedic procedures.

The development of the Post Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU) is the final stage of the theatre modernisation in Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital

Speaking at the event, Minster Harris said, “I am delighted to officially open the Cappagh Hospital’s new Post Anaesthetic Care Unit. This latest development with 12 recovery beds will complement the theatre facility and provide a better overall patient experience while improving theatre efficiencies and patient throughput, by avoiding delays in discharging patients from the operating theatre to recovery.”

Minister Harris added, “I very much welcome the inclusion of additional funding for orthopaedic procedures in the recently published HSE Winter Initiative including the provision of €3m for an additional 570 orthopaedic procedures at Cappagh by year end. I want to give as many people as possible and as quickly as possible - the new lease of life that comes with new hips and knees.

The Programme for a Partnership Government emphasises the need for sustained commitment to improving waiting times for patients, with a particular focus on those patients waiting longest. The Programme commits to €15m funding to the NTPF in 2017 for an initiative targeted at those waiting longest as part of continued investment of €50m per year to reduce waiting lists.”

During his visit to Cappagh Hospital, Minister Harris met with management, staff and patients.

Notes for Editors

New Post Anaesthetic Care Unit

The development of the Post Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU) is the final stage of the theatre modernisation in Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital. This development was preceded by the development of the following projects:

· 3 new state of the art theatres in 2011, one specifically designed with large canopy for complex cases
· Central Decontamination Unit in 2014,
· Refurbishment of Theatre 3 and 4 in 2016.