Minister officially opens the Critical Care Building at University Hospital Limerick

Feb 04, 2015

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar officially opened the new Critical Care Block at University Hospital Limerick on the 2nd February. The project was funded by the Health Service Executive at a cost of €38.5million and is part of the hospitals re-development programme.  GARLAND provided civil and structural engineering services to the design and build contractor, John SIsk and Son Ltd.   We have also been providing a similar services on the recently completed emergency department shell building adjacent to the CCB. 

The new Critical Care Block (CCB) at University Hospital Limerick includes a 12 bed intensive care unit, 16 bed high dependency unit, 16 bed acute cardiac care unit, a step down cardiac facility and a day cardiology unit.  These take up 4 of the 6 floors of the block; the remaining 2 floors will house a new Dialysis Unit and the new Emergency Department, which will open in 2016. Find out further details about the building. 

The unit has been credited with saving more than 180 lives since it began operations a year ago

 Minister Varadkar said “University Hospital Limerick has all the right ingredients to become a major centre of excellence for medicine and surgery for the region and for the country. It is at the centre of a new hospital group, and has a strong partnership with the University of Limerick graduate medical school. In recent years it has been taking interns directly from the University”

“The opening of the Critical Care Block today is another major milestone for the hospital. A much-needed new Emergency Department will open next year, and subject to agreements and finance being put in place, we will soon see the phased opening of the Leben building which will include a dedicated stroke unit and cystic fibrosis unit. In time, a new maternity hospital will be built on site too. UHL faces many of the difficulties facing the broader health service, but it has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years and there is much more good news to come.”

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan was also at the opening and said: “The opening of the critical care block further enhances the role of the UL Hospital Group as a centre for excellence for critical and coronary care.  These facilities will go a long way in meeting the health-care needs of patients in the mid-west for many years to come.” 

Chairman of UL Hospital Group Board, Professor Niall O’Higgins added “The opening of the brilliant new facility with its associated specialist staff represents a new level of care in the region as we continue in our planned commitment to place the UL Hospital Group as one of the best in the country."

Professor Colette Cowan, CEO UL Hospital Group added, “The new Critical Care Block has enabled us to increase our capacity.  The quality of care that patients receive match the best available internationally in state of the art facilities. This landmark building provides a more appropriate environment for patients, better working environment for staff and will also help us to retain and recruit specialised staff. This new facility will allow the UL Hospitals Group to continue to enhance its reputation for high quality care.”