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Press release

Minister announces new Rotunda Outpatient Services to be located at Earl Building, Cleary’s Quarter

Today, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly visited the site of the new outpatient and ambulatory services for the Rotunda Hospital, which will be situated in the Earl Building, part of the newly revamped Clery’s Quarter.

Once commissioned, the new site will be the primary location for clinics that provide a range of outpatient services for over 100,000 patients. Services included are Maternity Outpatients, Paediatric Outpatients, Colposcopy procedures, Perinatal Mental Health, Social Work and Dietetics.

This relocation will allow for the delivery of these outpatient services in a spacious modern environment. In parallel, it will enable the Rotunda to free up space on its Parnell Square campus to progress the development of a new critical care wing. The Rotunda and the Health Service Executive (HSE) are developing proposals for this new wing which would provide a new and expanded neonatal intensive care unit, a special baby care unit, expanded delivery suite and theatre capacity, and other clinical supports.

On his visit to the site today, Minister Donnelly said:

"I welcome the HSE’s purchase of the new Earl Building to support the delivery of outpatient services for the Rotunda. Promoting Women’s Health is a priority within the Programme for Government and a top priority for me as Minister. The quality of care delivered at the Rotunda is of the highest standard and this new building, once commissioned in 2024, will enable that care to continue to be delivered in facilities more befitting of a 21st century health system.

"The Rotunda is the oldest continuously operating maternity hospital in the world and is also one of the busiest in Europe. By relocating appropriate services away from the Parnell Square campus, we are freeing up space for further investments on that site to support the delivery of world-class care."

Work on the new Earl Building site is well advanced, with fit-out and handover expected before the end of 2024.

Notes

Background

The Rotunda Hospital is the oldest, continuously operating maternity hospital in the world, founded in 1745 and has been operating out of its current buildings at Parnell Square since 1757.

Approximately one in six of all babies born in Ireland are born in the Rotunda Hospital.

Due to the increasing pressures and age of the facilities at the Parnell Square site, the Rotunda sought to move certain services off the main campus.

The HSE identified the Earl Building, part of the new Clery’s Quarter development, as a solution for the Rotunda services and made the decision to purchase this site. The Earl Building is:

  • a newly constructed 6-storey building
  • B1 Building Energy Rating (BER), as constructed, with A3 BER and Net Carbon Zero readily achievable with fit-out works, helping to meet Climate Action Plan targets

The estimated overall investment, including the purchase of the building and its fit-out will be in the region of €40-45 million.

Completion and handover are expected before the end of 2024.

Once commissioned, this site at the new Clery’s Quarter will be the primary location for clinics that provide a range of services for over 100,000 outpatient and day-case patients annually.

Services due to move include Maternity Outpatients, Paediatric Outpatients, Colposcopy procedures, Perinatal Mental Health, Social Work and Dietetics.

The Rotunda and the HSE are currently developing proposals for the development of new buildings at the Rotunda. Moving these outpatient services will free up a large section of the west campus that will enable the development of a new critical care wing at the Rotunda.

Proposals being developed include providing a new neonatal intensive care unit, a special baby care unit, and expanded delivery and operating theatre capacity.

Maternity and gynaecology service developments

Several important maternity and gynaecology service developments are being progressed at the Rotunda, facilitated by funding and recruitment in recent years:

  • the recruitment of 17.3 (whole time equivalents) additional full-time staff for maternity services, funded through the National Maternity Strategy in Budgets 2021 and 2022
  • a perinatal genomic service is being established at the Rotunda. This clinical service will evaluate, diagnose, manage, and treat anomalies before birth. A Consultant in Clinical Genetics, a Genetic Counsellor, and supporting staff post are being funded to establish the service in the Rotunda
  • the Rotunda ambulatory gynaecology clinic was established in 2020 as part of the rollout of the Ambulatory Gynaecology Model of Care
  • the Rotunda Specialist Menopause clinic opened in October 2022. The total number of specialist menopause clinics is now six, one in each maternity network
  • the Rotunda operates an endometriosis hub service
  • the Rotunda operates a Regional Fertility Hub as part of the rollout for the Model of Care for Fertility

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