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A healthcare
consortium is planning to build a €60 million
private hospital on a greenfield site close to
Letterkenny General Hospital.
If granted permission by Donegal County Council,
Northwest Healthcare hopes the 50-bed hospital will
open its doors by late 2008 or early 2009.
A director of Northwest Healthcare is the former CEO
of the North Western Health Board Pat Harvey.
He said: ‘‘We’re well aware of the need for
radiation oncology services in the area. There are
huge access difficulties.
”Northwest also has plans for 20 day beds, renal
dialysis, four surgical theatres, urgent care,
consultants’ suites and a diagnostic department with
X-ray, CT and MRI scanners."
The 12,000sqm development on a six-acre site, would
include provision for radiotherapy - a service for
which two local cancer campaign groups, Donegal
Action for Cancer Care (DACC) and the breakaway
Co-Operating for Cancer Care NW (CCCNW) are
currently fighting.
Mr. Harvey told the SBP the consortium had already
discussed the ambitious €60m project with the Health
Service Executive (HSE).
Letterkenny General Hospital was earmarked for
co-location, a controversial Government plan to
allow developers build private hospitals on the
grounds of acute hospitals nationally. However, the
plan for Letterkenny was dropped by the HSE last
year.
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