A total of 98 new beds will be delivered at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) between 2025 and 2028 according to Waterford Fine Gael Senator John Cummins.
Senator John Cummins welcomed the announcement of new acute in-patient hospital beds which is part of Fine Gael’s commitment to invest in our health service and deliver increased capacity.
Senator Cummins said: “With an ageing and growing population, it is critical that our health service can cater for the needs of families and individuals living in Waterford. I believe the provision of extra bed capacity at UHW will have a very positive impact”.
“I am delighted to confirm that 98 new acute beds will be delivered UHW between March 2025 and 2028. As part of our ongoing commitment to improving the health service, 74 net new acute beds have been delivered between 2021 and March of this year.
“This means that a total of 172 beds will have been delivered for UHW in the 8 year period to 2028.
“And there will be a total of 919 beds delivered for all hospitals in the HSE Dublin & South East regional Health Area which I hope will improve accessibility and reduce waiting times for patients who need this vital care.
“The fact people are living longer and healthier lives is a positive reflection of our health service, but we need to plan and prepare as we require more healthcare and the need to keep up with medical advancements. This is exactly what Fine Gael in Government are doing with our coalition colleagues,” Senator Cummins said.
Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform Paschal Donohoe, said: “It is clear that the investment this government has made in health has delivered demonstrable progress. Notably, waiting lists have fallen for the past two years. The average number of patients on trolleys is also falling and many of our hospitals have made enormous progress.
“We recognise that demand for healthcare is increasing and that we must plan appropriately for the future. We also recognise the need for more reform and I welcome the strong focus on this from Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly.”