New Navan nursing unit due to open by year end

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) said this week that the new County Infirmary (Community Nursing Unit) at Athboy Road, Navan is scheduled for opening before the end of the year but no specific date has been set pending registration and inspection of the unit. Reports that the opening of the new unit, which will provide 50 beds for respite care, rehabilitation, assessment, review and continuing care, might be delayed, were put to the HSE. It said that the replacement of the County Infirmary in Navan was "progressing satisfactorily" and the construction contract was now complete. "The HSE is now in the process of equipping, commissioning and registering the building. The Community Unit will open once the equipping, commissioning and registration processes for the building is finalised". It said that the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) would need to inspect the new unit before it opened and it was anticipated that the date for registration work would be announced shortly. Asked if the building, which was designed 10 years ago, would meet modern standards for this type of health provision, the HSE said: "The building was designed and constructed in accordance with the required standards for residential settings. At this stage it remains on schedule for opening before end of year but a specific date cannot be set until after registration and inspection takes place". In May this year, the HSE said that it was reducing the provision of services at the old County Infirmary at Circular Road in preparation for the move to the new unit at Athboy Road. Patients at the old infirmary have been transferred to the HSE's facility at Trim, and to private nursing homes. The old unit has now been wound down to make way for the new €10 million facility. The HSE said at the time that the reduction in service at the infirmary would allow it to release staff for training and induction towards commissioning of the new unit. Besides provision of 50 beds at the new unit, the site will also extend a range of day care services to both psychiatric and older persons, ranging from medical, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. The new unit will also accommodate both clinic and administration accommodation for palliative care service.