Harney hospital plans out to tender

TÁNAISTE Mary Harney’s controversial plan for new private hospitals, on existing hospital lands, took a step closer at the weekend with the Health Service Executive (HSE) issuing tender notices for the construction of 11 such facilities.

The Tánaiste’s plan to free up 1,000 public beds by moving private patients to new neighbouring private hospitals was widely opposed by opposition parties, unions, health experts and even HSE chief executive Brendan Drumm.

Last month’s Irish Medical Organisation conference heard repeated claims that the initiative would never get off the ground.

Speaking at the conference, Blackrock and Galway clinics’ founder James Sheehan, said the plan was a “total non-starter”.

Economist Jim Power said there was a risk Ms Harney’s plans could create a “market failure” in the health system.

However, at the Progressive Democrats Árd Fheis, Ms Harney strongly defended her plan saying it would benefit public patients by freeing up more public beds. “Let me say this as clearly as I can: this is about freeing up public beds for public patients. It increases the number of public beds in our country. It decreases the number of private beds in public hospitals.”

And the weekend’s tender document, released on the Government’s e-tender website, is an indication of the Tánaiste’s determination to force the move through, despite the considerable opposition to it.

The tender is seeking expressions of interest from developers to construct “hospital buildings and associated facilities” on the existing campuses of 11 national and regional hospitals including Limerick Regional, Waterford Regional, Cork University Hospital, St James’s Hospital, Beaumont Hospital and Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown.

Proposals are also being sought for Tallaght Hospital, Sligo General Hospital, University College Hospital, Galway, Letterkenny General Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

However, the possibility of some of those hospitals being dropped from the list or further hospitals being added is left open.

There is little indication of how the new private hospitals will be required to assist or co-operate with their neighbouring public facilities. According to the tender, the breakdown of “the anticipated relationship between the public hospital and the co-located private hospital for particular sites” will be set out in a “descriptive document circulated to shortlisted tenderers.”

A spokesman for the HSE said shortlisted candidates would be invited to take part in discussions between all interested parties including the hospitals and the National Hospital’s Office before a final tendering process is initiated.

The entire tendering process will end by December during which time the specifications of each hospital will be clarified.