Plans for country's largest primary care centre in Navan outlined
The largest primary medical centre in Ireland is set to be built in Navan with a 62,000 square feet development planned to be located beside the current hospital, and Beaufort House community nursing unit.
Officials are putting the finishing touches to the planning application for the building, which will be lodged with Meath County Council in the coming weeks.
News that the building would be progressing to the planning stage was provided at a briefing for Meath Oireachtas members on Friday morning last.
Senator Shane Cassells, who took part in the Zoom briefing, said the new facility would "provide the most modern healthcare facilities in Ireland."
Facilities that will form part of the new centre include a diagnostic clinic with high-tech scanning equipment, a purpose built unit for Doctor on Call and a new day admission hospital for mental health services in Meath.
Both Doctor on Call and mental health services are currently in temporary accommodation and the new centre will provide purpose built state of the art facilities for both.
The full schedule of accommodation has now been completed as part of the submission of the planning application and a pharmacy, dental services and GP practice are also expected to be part of the building.
Details of the planning for the centre were provided by the head of the Primary Medical Centre division, Joseph Ruane, while Chief Medical Officer Pat Bennett gave an overview of the medical response to Covid-19, including testing statistics, in the Meath area.
Reacting to the decision to proceed to planning Senator Cassells stated it was a "really positive move for healthcare in Meath."
"We’ve had plenty of negative news about the hospital campus in Navan for many years now so it was really positive to go to a meeting where an announcement to build the biggest and best primary medical centre in Ireland was made," remarked Senator Cassells.
"I’m particularly pleased that Mental Health services in Meath will get a proper purpose built home as part of this project and that there will be a complete range of therapeutic services.
"Aside from the host of medical facilities, which the centre will offer, it will also be a signature gateway building entering the town of Navan given that it is located on the slipway off the motorway at Moatlands."
Arlene Fitzsimons, operations manager of North East Doctor on Call, said the development of the new centre will be a welcome additional to patient care in Navan and surrounding areas.
"It is intended that the NEDOC, the GP Out of Hours service will relocate to the building when complete and we look forward to being part of the services that will be provided from this building."