€10m injected into Cork hospital

Two new operating theatres were opened recently at a Cork hospital.

The Bon Secours Hospital Cork says it now has theatre capacity of 11 including one fully-integrated laparoscopic theatre.

Part of a €10 million investment, the Cork hospital says it has become the first hospital in Ireland to install an Olympus operating theatre which will provide patients with access to fully-integrated, state-of-the-art general surgery procedures, including bariatric surgery to support the fight against the increasing obesity rates across Ireland.

The hospital is creating 20 new positions to support the new theatres, including surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and theatre support staff. It expects to be able to treat 5,000 extra patients annually through the additional capacity of the two new theatres.

Speaking at the opening as he officially opened the new theatreas, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “This is another important milestone in the ongoing development of health services for patients living in the region and further evidence of Bon Secours Cork’s innovation and excellence in healthcare.

“The additional theatre capacity will greatly benefit people living across the Munster region at a time when the pandemic has put such pressure on our health system.” Bon Secours Health System Group Chief Executive Bill Maher added: “The expansion of our theatre capacity enables Bon Secours Hospital Cork to treat more patients in a timely and effective manner.”