Plans For Endoscopy Project Progressing Well

Fine Gael TD for Roscommon/South Leitrim, Frank Feighan, has expressed his delight that the plans for the €3 million Endoscopy Project at Roscommon County Hospital are progressing well.

He said: "I want to commend the work of the Design team, which has meticulously prepared a range of complex preparatory work for this major phase of the project. The team, which includes Roscommon company Varming Consulting M & E Engineers, is now ready to lodge the planning application with Roscommon County Council. The Design Team has already had a number of very positive pre-planning meetings with the Council’s Planning Department and I am delighted the project has now reached planning permission stage.

"I would like to pay tribute to the other members of the Endoscopy Project Team who have ensured that the project has reached this critical milestone. I look forward to the commencement and preparation of the tender process in the New Year which will identify a suitable contractor to build this key piece of infrastructure for the hospital.

"The Endoscopy Unit will be located above the Urgent Care Centre and will include two procedure rooms, waiting areas, toilet facilities, treatment/clinical /preparation intervention rooms, post recovery areas and a nurses’ station. When it is fully operational, it i s expected that 30 procedures a day will be performed at this new facility. I expect that Roscommon County Hospital will become a recognised centre for the National Cancer Screening Programme and be able to facilitate patients from other hospitals in order to reduce waiting times for other procedures.

"With the provision of this major Endoscopy facility, there is also the ambition to widen the service to offer Bronchoscopy, Cystoscopy and a range of other s imilar services. This will be facilitated by Roscommon Hospital consultants and visiting consultants from GUH and other hospitals in the network."

(CD)