48 extra beds announced for Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly announces 628 beds across Midlands region
Another 48 new acute hospital beds will be added to Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise in the coming six years.
The extra beds are part of a 628 bed expansion across the HSE Dublin Midlands region.
The Laois Model 3 hospital currently operates with 135 inpatient beds and 781 staff, with more midwives being recruited.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly announced the plan this week, for 628 extra beds for the Midlands healthcare region under the new Acute Bed Expansion Plan, to be delivered by 2031.
The plan is in response to the ongoing Health Service Capacity Review and aims to bring the number of beds in HSE Midlands from 2.3 per 100,000 people to 2.5. The plan includes 33 beds already committed to the region.
The Minister had committed to ensure balanced regional bed capacity and to ensure patients across Ireland have equity of access.
The plan also includes 48 new beds for MRH Mullingar, 196 new beds in Tallaght University Hospital, 72 new beds in Tullamore Regional Hospital, 165 new beds in St James’s Hospital Dublin, 48 new beds in Naas General Hospital, 27 new beds (additional capacity) for the National Children’s Hospital.
The development forms part of a major national plan which marks the biggest expansion of bed capacity in the health service in several decades, with a total of 3,352 additional acute inpatient beds planned for delivery across three tranches up to 2031. The plan does not include rehab, subacute or specialist beds.
Minister Donnelly said:
“I am delighted to be announcing this significant expansion of hospital beds across 10 hospitals in the Dublin Midlands region. This investment recognises that our growing and ageing population are placing more demands on our healthcare services and I am determined to drive forward with expansion that ensures people have access to the right care in the right place at the right time.
“Since 2021, the Dublin Midlands region has seen an additional 149 beds come on stream.
“We are now entering a new phase of expansion, responding to changing demographics and ensuring increased capacity that will allow us to better serve the needs of people across Dublin, Kildare, Westmeath, Offaly and Laois,” he said.