Long awaited Midlands regional hospice set to become a reality

The long awaited Midlands regional hospice is set to become a reality following last Friday's announcement of €1 million in funding for the project.

The hospice, which will be located on a site in the grounds of Tullamore Hospital, will now proceed to the planning stage next year.

Architect plans for the regional hospice have been presented by Offaly Hospice to the HSE and show a 16 bed InPatient Hospice Unit is feasible on the site offered by the HSE.

The plans include all elements of an updated 2021 Design Brief put together by HSE Estates and Palliative Care Consultants, Dr. Michael Cushen and Dr. Pauline Kane.

Praise and thanks must be lavished on Professor Humphrey O'Connor and his fellow committee members of Offaly Hospice who spearheaded this most important project.

Thanks must also be extended to Tullamore and Birr Lions Clubs and the Hooves 4 Hospice committee which has raised hundreds of thousands of euro for the project through the rearing and sale of livestock.

Farmers in Offaly and throughout the Midlands reacted enthusiastically to the project with many donating livestock or rearing them.

The Midland counties of Offaly, Laois, Westmeath and Longford have long been the poor relation when it comes to hospice services. In fact the Midlands is the only region in the country without a dedicated hospice.

The new hospice will also cater for many families in North Tipperary and East Galway and will serve a population of about 300,000 people.

Tullamore is the ideal location for such a service due to its location at the centre of the region and also due to the presene of the Midland Regional Hospital in the county town.

The Government, the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and local Deputy Barry Cowen must be commended for their support for the project.

Indeed Deputy Cowen ensured this project was provided for in the Programme for Government, as a key member of the Fianna Fáil negotiation team.

This funding forms part of an overall allocation of €10 million in once-off funding for palliative and end-of-life care which will help to progress national priorities, including increasing the equitable access to palliative care services across Ireland.  

Funding will also be used to support palliative care services provided by voluntary organisations and support the financial sustainability of the voluntary hospice sector.

Deputy Cowen said he was “delighted to receive confirmation of this funding for the development of the Midlands Hospital in Tullamore. Palliative care has a very special place in the hearts of many and it's with deep sadness that I say that the Midlands region of Offaly, Laois, Longford and Westmeath is currently the only region in Ireland that does not have a hospice.

"This funding will go some way in terms of developing the design of a 16 bed palliative care unit with auxiliary services including treatment facilities and day care facility also on the selected site at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore.   I expect also the project will now be submitted for planning in the new year.”

News of the funding came on the day it was announced that RTE presenter and Mountrath native, Claire Byrne has come on board as a patron of Offaly Hospice.

Claire's interest in hospice care stems from the excellent care her late father Tom received from Laois/Offaly Home Care team.

Their specialist help allowed Tom remain at home with good quality of life and symptom control and for that Claire and her family are very grateful.

The RTE presenter also recognises there are critical situations where patients cannot remain at home and the key gap in the service is the absence of a Specialist Hospice Unit.

Offaly Hospice will continue fundraising to build and commission the new unit and they are to be congratulated on their foresight, determination and hard work.