Primary Care Centre to be completed by Autumn 2020
By Maurice Garvey
THE HSE anticipate commencing construction of the long awaited Rowlagh Primary Care Centre in early 2019, with a completion date of 2020.
Plans were lodged by the HSE at the end of March for a primary care development on the grounds of Collinstown Park Community College in Clondalkin.
The new Rowlagh Care Facility will be built on the grounds of Collinstown Community College
Severe delays in the delivery of a primary care centre for Clondalkin have long been criticised by Fianna Fáil TD John Curran, who recently, asked the health executive for a timeframe of delivery via a parliamentary question.
“It’s been seven years since the Rowlagh Primary Care Centre was first announced under the infrastructure stimulus package with a planned completion date of late 2016,” said Deputy Curran.
“Despite repeated promises there have been no primary care services in our area, which has a population of over 45,000 people, for quite some time.”
In response to Deputy Curran’s query, the HSE said they expect a maximum of 36 staff to be employed at the facility.
Assuming there are “no funding or delivery delays”, the HSE expect a completion date of Autumn 2020.
Cautious
However, Curran said he is “cautious to be too optimistic” as a result of previous time delays surrounding the project.
“The delivery of three proposed primary care centres in the greater Clondalkin and Lucan areas have faced alarming delays to date, but thankfully we are now seeing some slight movement.”
“Every effort must be made now to ensure that the HSE fulfil its commitment to this centre and allow the people of North Clondalkin access to essential health care.”
Service proposals for the Rowlagh centre include a GP clinic, a nurse managed clinic, suites for speech and language therapy, occupational and physiotherapy therapy, a dental clinic, a pediatrics suite and a mental health suite.
Operating hours will be from 9am-6pm weekdays, with GP suites accessed independently from the rest of the building and may open until 8pm and on Saturdays, at the discretion of GPs.
