Hospital gets €4.6m boost for education unit
The project involves the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). The proposed facilities will feature a 204 seat Lecture Theatre, a large Teaching and Seminar room, Tutorial and Reading Rooms for interactive teaching and other ancillary services.
In addition to the monies announced as part of the HSE’s 2006-2010 Capital Programme, matching funds will be provided by the RCSI, as part of its partnership with WRH as an officially designated teaching hospital.
The new facility is designed to enhance the teaching of both undergraduate and postgraduate medical personnel within the HSE’s acute south east hospital network, which is in line with key objectives set in its Corporate Plan of 2005-2008.
Welcoming the news, Patricia Sullivan, General Manager, WRH, said that the inclusion of the Project on the 2006-2010 Capital Plan is indicative of the importance of developing further educational facilities in partnership with the RCSI.
“I am looking forward to implementing the project as soon as possible.
“Having such a feature on the Regional Hospital campus would potentially attract and retain highly trained medical personnel for WRH and the HSE’s acute hospital network in the south east,” she said.
Ms Sullivan added that upon completion and operation of the Education Centre, part of the existing RCSI accommodation at WRH would revert to other uses.
Michael Horgan, the Chief Executive of the RCSI said the development would strengthen the role of WRH as a teaching hospital and strengthen the partnership between RCSI and the HSE.
This new facility will allow RCSI the opportunity to increase output of EU doctors as recommended in the recent Fottrell report.
Adding to the welcome reaction of the HSE’s announcement, Dr Fred Jackson — Consultant Haematologist and RCSI Dean of Undergraduate Studies at WRH — said the Business Plan for the Project emphasised that the new facility would make the Waterford and south east region attractive to Medical Consultants.
Dr Jackson said the proposed Centre is a demonstration of the excellent co-operation between the HSE and the RCSI in forging educational links.
