New Community Care Hub gets green light

A planned new Enhanced Community Care Hub, set to be built just inside the gates of Cavan General Hospital, will accommodate community specialist teams for chronic diseases including cardiology, diabetes, and respiratory care, as well as act as a “one-stop-shop” for older people with complex needs.

Cavan County Council approved plans for the development last week and the HSE has since indicated to The Anglo-Celt that the new multi-million euro, state-of-the-art facility could be up and running as early as mid-2027.

The proposed development falls under the HSE's expansion of community healthcare services intended to alleviate pressure on hospital services such as the Emergency Department by preventing avoidable referrals and admissions “where safe and appropriate”.

With a €240 million national investment on the cards, the ECC programme is seen as an “integral part of the Sláintecare initiative” that aims to improve the management of care at a local level as well as supporting the transition of patient care from hospitals back to the community.

The 1,569 sq m, two-storey Cavan hub will include 25 clinical rooms and a gymnasium at ground floor level. Reception and waiting areas, education rooms, administration offices, storerooms, comms room, toilets, staff lounge and changing facilities, and parking also form part of the plans.

Approval for the health project came less than a week after planners ticked the box on a major five-storey extension to house Cavan General’s ED, a revamped Endoscopy unit and 58 additional in-patient beds.

The HSE says the investments are a “significant step forward” in delivering a greater level of centralised care for the population of Cavan and Monaghan.

“This new building [community hub] will house the Integrated Care Programme for Older People (ICPOP) Community Specialist Teams. The ICPOP service was introduced in Cavan Monaghan in 2019 to develop care pathways for frailty, dementia, and falls prevention.”

The ICTOP now includes pathways for the Falls and Frailty Team, Memory Assessment and Support Team (MASS), and Memory Technology Resource Room (MTRR).

These ICPOP Community Specialist Teams, the HSE spokesperson said, provide a “one-stop-shop” for older people with complex needs, co-ordinated through GP, primary care, or public health nurse referrals.

“This approach helps deliver more effective and timely care, improving overall health outcomes,” they say, adding that the ECC building will also accommodate community specialist teams for chronic diseases, including cardiology, diabetes, and respiratory care.

“These teams will focus on managing chronic conditions for people aged 16 and over. The aim is to reduce hospital stays by empowering patients to manage their conditions better.”

The building will also house the Doc on Call service for Cavan, and an out-of-hours GP service that “plays an essential role in providing quick access to medical assessments, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions”.

The HSE spokesperson concluded by telling the Celt that their Capital & Estates department “continues to collaborate” with the appointed design team to “finalise the detailed design elements” of the project.

“It is anticipated that the project will go out to tender in Q3 of this year. Subject to capital approval, the estimated construction period is approximately 18 months from the contractor's start date on site.”