Significant changes on the way for Old Hospital site in Offaly

Significant changes are on the way for the Old Hospital site in Birr. It is also known as the St Brendan's District Hospital site.

Some exterior improvement work has been carried out to the Old Hospital premises itself (which housed Midoc until 2018, at which stage Midoc was moved to Tullamore). These improvement works, which included some roofing work, led some to believe it had been sold by the HSE to new owners. But this is not the case.

Cllr Seán Maher told The Midland Tribune that he spoke to Joe Ruane this week about the matter. Joe Ruane is the HSE's Midlands Area Manager and he told the Councillor that the Old (District) Hospital building itself is still in the ownership of the HSE.

He said it will probably change ownership in 2027 or 2028, at which stage the County Council will probably take over the building.

READ NEXT: Offfaly man (76) set to lose home to bank says he has now been threatened with court proceedings

The Old Hospital building is part of a number of buildings on the general site, located at the end of John's Terrace.

The other buildings house a Rehabilitation Counselling service; a Dental Clinic; St Anne's and an Alzheimers service.

The ambulance service (NAS) for the town and south Offaly area is located on the site and will be moving to the new Primary Care Centre (PCC) when the currently ongoing building work of the PCC is complete.

The expected completion date for the Primary Care Centre is the summer of 2026, perhaps later. It had previously been stated that the PCC would open to the general public in 2024 but, as so often with major infrastructural projects, it's taking considerably longer than expected.

When Midoc closed in 2018 there was a very strong reaction against the closure and a huge number of people turned out for a public meeting, expressing their objection at the loss of an essential service. The powers that be paid no heed.

There's a possibility that when the ambulance service vacates the site, the Order of Malta might move in in their place.
It's been pointed out over the last few years that there are a couple of HSE sites in Birr which have a significant amount of empty, unused space; a far from ideal situation.

READ NEXT: 'Very rare' and hugely historic rifle used in Offaly during 1916 Rising up for auction

About half of the Mental Health facility on Wilmer Road (beside the library) is not being used. The Mental Health facility is in fact a very large area which could be used in a purposeful and good way, but it's going to waste. A couple of years ago former Cllr John Carroll told a meeting that he would “question some of the HSE's use of its property.”

The emptiness of the District Hospital is also problematic, and it will become emptier when its ambulance service moves.
During a meeting with the Council a member of the HSE gave an update on the Mental Health care system in Birr. She pointed out that there are 16 staff in the Wilmer Road Mental Health facility. The services provided in the Mental Health facility include a Community Mental Health Clinic / Day Hospital / and Day Service. It's serving a population area of 38,000 people.

All of the 16 staff members and the services will move to the new Birr Primary Care Centre when it opens.

Joe Ruane told another Council meeting that the Alzheimer's and St Anne's services will be “remaining in the St Brendan's District Hospital area and will not move to the new Primary Care Centre when it opens.”

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is based in the Old Day Care Centre beside the Old Hospital building.

READ NEXT: Luxurious Offaly home with its own office and library could be yours for €600K

The Alzheimer Society offers a Day Care at Home service. The Day Care at Home Service provides an interim alternative model of care and support to clients and families. It is is a way of delivering a day care experience to clients in their home, while also allowing their family carer to have a break and is based on providing social activity based care with minimum personal care. This can include music sessions, reminiscence therapy, arts & crafts, gentle exercises, conversation, companionship and recreational activities.

Speaking about the future of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) in St Brendan's District Hospital, Joe Ruane pointed out that when the NAS base in Birr is moved to the new PCC in Birr, then it will be moving into “a standalone two story building in the same complex as the PCC.”

According to National Ambulance Service Stats, in the Midlands Area (Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford) the average response time for Echo / Delta calls is 25 minutes.

There's been a hospital at the John's Terrace site for several decades. Records show that in 1955 tenders were invited by Offaly County Council for an extension of the premises which would be: “An Extension scheme comprising extension of existing hospital, improved nursing accommodation, maternity unit, town clinic.”

The extension was formally opened in Spring 1959. The contractor was M. Loughnane & Sons, Birr, and the construction cost was £45,000.

Part of the Mental Health facility in the old convent site on Wilmer Road has been unused since the late 1970s. The Gaelscoil had hoped to move into the building in 2015 but in January 2024 it moved instead into a modular building constructed on a greenfield site on Tullamore Road.

A couple of years ago Cllr John Carroll said the District Hospital and the former Day Care Centre beside John's Terrace “is a significant footprint in the town with a significant amount of physical structures. It's in the heart of Birr, some of it is empty, and everyone should think hard about what to do with the empty sections.” This point by the former Crinkle Councillor remains relevant today.