North Westmeath Hospice welcome funding for midlands regional hub
The campaign to provide a midlands hospice on a site at Tullamore hospital received a massive funding boost last week with the announcement of capital funding of €20m by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
The midlands hospice development, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, will make Tullamore a hub for the provision of specialist palliative care services across the midlands, including day care, outpatient, inpatient and community services.
Once complete, the hospice will provide essential access to specialist palliative care inpatient services for patients and their families across the midlands.
Announcing €20m of capital funding for the project, An Taoiseach said: “I’m delighted to announce this significant milestone for palliative care in the midlands.
“Our Programme for Government commits to developing a hospice providing essential access to specialist palliative inpatient care for people with life limiting illnesses, and their families.
“I’m aware of the enormous work and commitment that has been provided by voluntary hospice groups and colleagues in the HSE to progress this service over the past 15 years, and the funding contributed to date.
“So, it is hugely welcome that €20m of additional capital funding by the Department of Health has now been approved by government to further the development of this hospice in the next few years.”
The 20-bed unit will be co-located on a site provided by the HSE at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore.
North Westmeath Hospice statement
It was with great joy that the members of North Westmeath Hospice CLG heard the recent announcement by Taoiseach Micheál Martin that the government is committing €20m in capital funding to the building of a Level 3 Hospice for the population of the midlands region.
This facility will cater for all individuals in the area who need such care at the end of life. It will be a 20-bed unit situated in the grounds of the MR Hospital Tullamore and the plan currently is for it to be completed in 2025.
This new Midlands Regional Hospice will be the hub and it will support the already excellent services which are provided in the community by the Local Palliative Care teams and Primary Care Teams.
North Westmeath Hospice CLG, along with the voluntary Hospice Committees in South Westmeath, Longford Laois and Offaly, have long advocated for this Level 3 Unit. These groups have also been supported by Tullamore Lions Club through ‘Hooves for Hospice’, which has raised more than €1 million towards the project.
A great tribute is due to the local fundraising groups and individuals, the medical staff and the politicians in the area for continuously striving to raise awareness and funds to achieve the best possible care for people in our communities and their families who need specialist palliative care at the end of life.
Hooves 4 Hospice statement
The Hooves4Hospice fundraising team welcome the announcement that government funding of €20m is to be provided to enable the long awaited and much needed Midland Regional Hospice to proceed.
Project chairperson, Pat Lalor, stated: “We are delighted that after two and a half years of fundraising and promoting, with others, the case for a regional hospice in the midlands, our goal has been achieved. We exhort the HSE to proceed to prioritise the design and construction of the hospice project so that the hospice aspect of end of life care in the midlands can be introduced as soon as possible.
“We are pleased that the size of the hospice is to be increased from 16 to 20 beds. We, and others, have favoured the higher number of beds now proposed.
“The farmers who responded to our appeal to donate and rear animals and donate the proceeds to Hooves4Hospice deserve our deepest appreciation and gratitude for their generosity. In addition to farmers from the four midland counties, farmers from all four provinces are participating in our project, which has also attracted generous sponsorship and financial support, from business, community groups and individuals, from all parts of Ireland.
“I was pleased to have been able to thank An Taoiseach personally, on the day the funding was announced, for recognising the urgent need for a regional hospice in the midlands and for approving the government funding required.
“We are most grateful to the print and broadcast media for their support of our project since it was launched in January 2020. We are also grateful to the minister for health and the public representatives who supported our project.
“There is much that remains to be done to complete the work of Hooves4Hospice. In that regard we still need some more farmers willing to donate and/or rear animals. As a result of the announcement of government funding, we approach that task with renewed confidence and enthusiasm.”
HSE statement
Des O’Flynn, chief officer of the HSE Midlands Louth Meath, welcomed the news. In a statement last week, he said: “This decision is welcomed and represents one of the most significant investments in health care in the midlands for many years. It’s the culmination of many years of work and advocacy by many local organisations, and groups and staff within the HSE.
“We’d like to thank the Department of Health and the government for making this announcement.
“We’d also like to thank the hospice groups in the midlands, namely North Westmeath Hospice, South Westmeath Hospice, Longford Hospice, Laois Hospice, Offaly Hospice and all their volunteers who have raised funds for various palliative care initiatives throughout many years – including the new hospice.
“In addition, to the above groups, we would like to thank Hooves-4-Hospice, the midlands group established by the Lions Clubs in the area who have fundraised specifically for the midlands hospice and the Irish Hospice Foundation who have advocated and supported the project since inception.”