Paediatric services at CHI Tallaght to shut from Thursday midnight until next Tuesday morning

Children’s Health Ireland at Tallaght’s Emergency Care Unit is closing temporarily for four days from midnight on Thursday until 8am next Tuesday morning.

The CHI emergency department at Tallaght University Hospital will be shut from Thursday midnight until Tuesday, September 29 at 8:00am, and care will be redirected over the weekend from to Monday

Paediatric emergency care activity is to be redirected to alternative CHI services with additional capacity at CHI at Crumlin and CHI at Connolly. CHI at Temple Street will remain open as normal.

A statement from CHI reads: “During the closure period, for emergency care please proceed to CHI at Crumlin Emergency Department.

“For minor illnesses or injuries, book an appointment for CHI at Connolly Urgent Care Centre on our website or alternatively, visit your GP.”

Patient safety protocols are in place throughout the closure period, per CHI.

Since opening in 2021, CHI at Tallaght has operated at TUH, supported by the hospital’s network and information technology systems.

However, as the opening for the National Children’s Hospital Ireland located by St James’ Hospital in the city centre draws near, the local CHI services need to move to CHI-supported systems, and to facilitate this, the ECU must close for several days.

CHI stated: “As CHI progresses towards the opening of the National Children’s Hospital Ireland (NCHI), CHI at Tallaght services are required to transition to CHI-supported systems and infrastructure. This will support the development of a more integrated model of care across CHI sites and facilitate the future transition to the Epic electronic health record system.

“As CHI at Tallaght is located on the TUH campus and has extensive links with TUH services and systems, this transition is a complex programme of work. Careful planning is therefore required to ensure the transition can be completed safely and with minimal disruption to children, young people, families and staff.

“To safely complete this IT systems transition, the Paediatric Emergency Care Unit (PECU), will temporarily close to patients and staff for a defined period.

“The temporary closure will allow the necessary network and technology changes to be completed safely and efficiently. This work is also required in advance of planned changes to TUH’s own technology platforms in early 2027.”