New site recommended for Lifford Community Hospital

A HSE report on the future of three community hospitals in Donegal has recommended a new site for Lifford Community Hospital.
The review of the community hospitals in Lifford, Stranorlar and Ramelton has proposed an investment of €3.5m to upgrade St Joseph's Hospital in Stranorlar and an investment of €2.1m for Ramelton Community Hospital.
The report by Rhatigan Architects examined options to upgrade Lifford Community Hospital but recommended that nursing services “could be better addressed by a new site”.
The Save Our Services campaign group has been invited to make a written submission on the Lifford hospital before the final report will be completed at the end of next month.

The HSE has told Donegal Oireachtas members and Health Forum representatives that it will proceed with the recommendations. It said the development of a new community nursing unit in Letterkenny is included in the capital programme .
Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher said “a lot remains to be clarified and finally resolved before certainty can be stated regarding their long term futures as long term stay hospitals”.
“While the Rhatigan plan calls for an injection of €3.5 million for St Joseph’s Stranorlar, an investment of €2.1 million for Ramelton and in the case of Lifford an entire new build hospital is required as the report recommends nothing for the existing Hospital,” he said.
“It will not be clear for some time what the intentions are of the HSE and the government for all three hospitals in terms of what capacity, breakdown of future bed usages and the services available to the patients - this we must determine and resolve in the coming months with the HSE and the Department of Health.”Fine Gael minister Deputy Joe McHugh said he supported the retention of services in Lifford.
"I want to make clear my full support for the retention and expansion of services in Lifford and I know the SOS group are putting together a proposal for a new-build facility which will enhance services to the community. It is an imaginative proposal and I want to make it clear that I will give my full support to whatever is agreed by all concerned.”
“Work will begin within months on a new facility in Letterkenny on the LUH site which is a critical part of the overall service plan for the county."