THE contract was signed today at Letterkenny University Hospital for the redevelopment of the Coronary Care Unit and the Haematology/Oncology Ward.
The project will be completed by March 2017 and the work will be carried out by Donegal based Boyle Construction.
The contract was signed by Jim Curran, National Director HSE Estates, Contractors and Seán Murphy on behalf of Saolta University Health Care Group and Letterkenny University Hospital.
Commenting at the contract signing Seán Murphy, General Manager, Letterkenny University Hospital said the contract signing was an important step in the on-going development at LUH.
“The new Coronary Care project will do considerably more than simply replace the ward capacity lost in 2013. The new unit will have enhanced facilities, including isolation and single room accommodation and an overall increased footprint in line with current critical care standards.
“The project reflects the on-going development of cardiology services at LUH which includes the recent appointment of an additional Consultant Cardiologist who will contribute to the delivery of the pPCI service from Altnagelvin. This service, which began in May this year, will treat approximately 50-60 Donegal patients each year who suffer a suspected ST-Elevation Myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Commenting on the Haematology/Oncology ward development, Sean Murphy said, “This ward development will provide enhanced facilities for patients, including an increased number of isolation rooms. This is essential to support infection control measures and is particularly important for patients receiving cancer treatment whose immune systems may be compromised”.

At the contract signing, Sean Murphy, General Manager of the hospital also provided an update on the on-going progress of the hospital’s overall rebuild project. Significant developments have and continue to take place at the hospital over the last 18 months following the extensive damage caused by flooding there in July 2013.

Outlining the scale of the work that has been undertaken at the hospital since July 2013 he noted, “We have redeveloped the ED/ Acute Medical Assessment Unit, the Pharmacy Department, the Pulmonary Laboratory, the Chapels, the Catering and Dining facilities, the Pathology Laboratory and the interim in-patient Physiotherapy and OT facility. We have Ireland’s first fully integrated Blood Sciences Laboratory. Work is expected to begin in early 2017 on the new Radiology Department with further projects including the Mortuary, Changing Rooms and Stores, the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Departments and the Outpatient Department to be progressed in the future”.