Healthcare facility will benefit 12,000 outpatients
By Mary Dennehy
MORE than 12,000 people who use outpatient clinics at Tallaght University Hospital can now access these services in an enhanced community setting - benefiting outpatients while helping create more space on the hospital campus.
Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) opened a new community-based healthcare location in the SIMMS building in Tallaght Cross – where the hospital’s endocrinology, diabetes and podiatry outpatient services have been relocated to.
The SIMMS building at Tallaght Cross
The overall development provides an additional 15,000 sq foot of “purpose built modern outpatient facilities” within 500 metres of the hospital’s main entrance.
The move is the first in a series of planned initiatives to relocate suitable outpatient services from the hospital setting and situate them closer to the community – with the new facility also seeing patients benefit from “more efficiently run clinics” in an enhanced environment.
According to the hospital, the community-based clinic will also result in easier access for patients, with the SIMMS building being serviced by a number of bus routes and having underground car parking.
Announcing the move, Tallaght University Hospital CEO, David Slevin said: “Given the significant increased population projections for Tallaght in the coming decade, the hospital has looked at new ways of best delivering its wide-ranging outpatient and inpatient services.
“We now have the opportunity to deliver an excellent quality outpatient service closer to the community.
“In addition, the transition of endocrinology, diabetes and podiatry clinics out of the hospital setting will also create more space to see and treat an ever increasing number of patients referred to the hospital.
Bring core healthcare services into the community
“The relocation of these services is the first in a series of planned moves to bring core healthcare services into the community.
“The next service due to move to the Simms building is our Neurology Outpatient clinic and this will happen before the end of the year.”
Professor James Gibney, Consultant Endocrinologist and Clinical Lead for Endocrinology from Tallaght University Hospital added how some of these clinics are the busiest run by the hospital – with staff looking forward to seeing their patients in this “new, modern facility”.
“The clinic has been named the Robert Graves Institute of Endocrinology, after Robert Graves a doctor in the Meath Hospital who was a world renowned teacher and physician,” Prof Gibney said.
“Moving the clinics into the community will enable us to run more efficient clinics for our patients and also provide us with space to continue research into this area of medicine.”
The move follows a capital investment of €5m commissioned in collaboration with the HSE.
Car parking options around the SIMMS building include the underground car parking at Tallaght Cross and Aldi.
According to the hospital, parking rates in Tallaght Cross West are €1.50 for 0-1 hours, €2.50 for €2-4 hours and €4 for 5-24 hours.
Patients can call the hospital team on 4143591 from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm, if they have any questions.
