HSE to spend €325m on two elective hospitals in Cork and Galway 

The HSE has tendered for the construction of the two new elective hospitals at unspecified locations in Cork and Galway.

The HSE is to spend €325m on the provision of at least 1,500 beds and the modular construction of two elective hospitals in Cork and Galway over the next two years.

In a new four-year public contract, the HSE has tendered for the construction of the two new elective hospitals at unspecified locations in the two counties.

The beds are to be delivered at approximately 18 hospital sites in 2024 and 2025 via new multi-storey bed ward blocks connecting to existing hospital infrastructure, with between 50 and 150 beds apiece.

A lack of bed spaces across the country, together with lengthy waiting lists for procedures, are among the biggest issues that have plagued the Irish health service for many years.

While the tender has been released at a time of financial turmoil within the HSE, with all recruitment currently shut off amid a budgeting row, the new contract is to be sourced from the HSE’s capital budget, which totalled €1bn for 2023.

The HSE said the initial elective hospitals part of the contract will see 'Modern Methods of Construction' — that is buildings constructed elsewhere and then reassembled on-site — with the resulting installations to “benefit from the efficiencies associated with standardised buildings”.

Building 'flexibility'

The new buildings will likewise be designed to provide the “flexibility” to allow for future phases of construction, including for additional patient capacity to “cater for the highly dynamic landscape of the State’s healthcare policy and practice”.

The HSE said the buildings will support single ensuite rooms with hospital standard bathrooms, with associated support accommodation required, including family and social spaces, a reception, nurses’ stations, utility rooms, drug storage areas, office space, and storage space.

The new buildings must likewise “fit into a standard grid ensuring all modules are standard sizes”.

A further two hospitals are also expected to be constructed in Dublin via future phases of the contract.

Rollout in three phases

Regarding the provision of 1,500 beds, the contract states that the rollout will happen in three distinct phases with six hospitals provided for in each phase.

Each bed block will be expected to complete construction within 75 weeks, the HSE said. 

While 1,500 beds have been requisitioned, to begin with, that “figure has the potential to be increased”.

Eight contractors will be shortlisted following the tender process, with the top two ranked to be considered the successful bidders.

While the provision of beds is the “primary requirement” for the new project, other hospital facilities, including operating theatres, intensive care units, and staff accommodation may feature in future phases.