New roof for leaking orthopaedic theatre at Sligo University Hospital to be completed by the end of the year
The news has been welcomed after it was revealed that some patients have had operations cancelled as a result of water coming on to the floor at the unit.
Concerns have been expressed for patient facilities at the unit after it was revealed by consultant John Kelly in The Sligo Champion that the roof was leaking and operations were being cancelled.
This revelation has caused major concern among patients waiting to have procedures, according to a local councillor.
A statement from from the Regional Health Forum said the hospital is set to undergo significant improvements aimed at enhancing theatre operations and overall service delivery.
It added that a full roof replacement for the Orthopaedic Theatre had gone to tender.
The project had an estimated turnaround time of three months.
Completion of the new roof is expected by the end of the year.
Currently, two out of three orthopaedic theatres are operational.
The roof replacement is expected to help facilitate the return to full operational capacity and improved working conditions and plans are in place to explore the construction of new operating theatres in 2026.
These additions aim to expand theatre capacity and further support clinical needs.
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The project will also include upgrades to storage space and changing facilities for staff, enhancing functionality and comfort.
Cllr Barry Gallagher had a motion at last week's monthly meeting of Sligo County Council calling on the council to contact the HSE to investigate when was this issue first noticed and what is the timeline for the repair works to be completed.
It also queried what arrangements have been put in place for patients who were scheduled to have operations in this theatre at SUH.
While welcoming the statement Cllr Gallagher said he was still seeking answers on behalf of patients who had surgery cancelled as a result of the leaking roof.
He added that the Council had invited the CEO of SUH Tony Canavan and the Maintenance Manager to their next monthly meeting.
'I am still not happy with it as this situation has been going on for two years.
'It was closed last year numerous times and it was closed for five days in April of this year and operations were cancelled. The theatre is functional unless there is heavy rain.
'A lady came to me who was supposed to have a hysterectomy on Wednesday and she was contacted the evening beforehand to say it was not going ahead as the theatre was not available and another man who is self-employed has a shoulder injury.
'He went for his MRI and was told that his operation was going ahead in Sligo but he can't get a date now because the theatre would not be open to do operations.' Cllr Gallagher added that SUH had some of the best surgeons in the country but he would be very fearful of losing them because of the theatre not being operational. 'This three months turnaround is only the design stage and I know the Health Minister Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill has pledged to fast track the project, it will be very hard to see a new roof installed by the end of the year.
'I want to know what plans, if any, are in place for patients who badly need operations.?
'What are people going to do while we wait for a new roof?
'I know one man and he is self-employed who is waiting on an operation.
'He can't work and he has a mortgage to pay and a daughter going to college.
'What is going to happen to him.?
'This is a life changing operation.
'I have asked are they going to re-schedule his operation for Castlebar, or Galway or Limerick or Dublin.'
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