Work starting on multi million upgrade of Laois HSE nursing home

A €24m project to upgrade accommodation in a HSE nursing home in Laois is set to start, delivering the first set of beds 10 years after they were first promised.

Seven years since it was first announced in 2016, work is finally starting in Mountmellick on a 50 bedroom extension of the HSE's biggest nursing home in Laois.

Fences have gone up and materials arriving on site for what is the first of three phases to build 130 new residents bedrooms, at St Vincent's Community Nursing Unit.

The work which will replace large wards with single ensuite bedrooms, is essential to make the unit compliant with HIQA patient standards. The home, built on the site of a former famine workhouse, currently has about 80 beds with some large wards lying closed because they were uncompliant. 

The whole project was expected to cost €23.7 million when first announced in 2016 by then Minister Charlie Flanagan. No new estimate has yet been confirmed. 

The first new wing will be built to the north east of the site near the road on a green area. It will connect back to the existing hospital.

"This phase will not impact on current accommodation and service operations," the HSE said in a plan for the building. 

It is expected to take over two years, with a finish date of June 2025, followed by a period of fitting out the new building, which could well bring it to 2026 before residents and staff can move in.

The Health Service Executive confirmed the start of the works to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"The commencement notice has been lodged and the appointed Contractor is currently mobilising on site with a view to starting work in the coming weeks. It is anticipated that the construction phase will be completed in Q2 2025 with the equipping phase taking place following this," a spokesperson said.

In 2015 the health service watchdog HIQA banned admissions at the hospital. A year later, in 2016, when the ban was lifted, Laois TD and Minister Charlie Flanagan announced funding of €23.7 million for a 130-bed unit.

This unit was due to have been completed by 2021. The HSE applied in 2020 to build phase 1, a 50-bed unit at a cost of around €11 million.

Enabling works were complete by February 2021. These include a new carpark, underground fire prevention water tank and the removal of mature trees. 

"The provision of this new build with single en-suite room accommodation will provide much needed modern facility for those in need of residential care," the HSE say.

Phase Two will be even bigger, a 60 bed unit including a 10 bed dementia unit.

See artist impression below.

View artist's image of huge extension to Laois HSE nursing home

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It will involve the demolition of the single story wing to the right of the hospital which is currently St Anne's dementia ward. The dementia patients may have to move temporarily to the first new wing. 

Lastly, Phase Three will refurbish the first floor of the existing building to provide 20 ensuite single bedrooms.