Tallaght University Hospital opens new Oncology Day Unit
By Mary Dennehy
TALLAGHT University Hospital this week opened its new Oncology Day Unit, which provides a 50 per cent increase in space for patients and staff.
Each year, more than 800 patients attend the Day Unit at Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) for cancer services.
Staff pictured in the new Oncology Day Unit when it opened on Tuesday; (l-r) Jun Cao (Clinical Nurse Specialist), Jini Paul (Senior Nurse), Heather Sloane (CNM2), Sarah Farrell (Senior Nurse), Una Murtagh (Clinical Nurse Specialist), Helen Tobin (Senior Nurse), Gillian Gurhy (Healthcare Assistant), Marion Rock (Healthcare Assistant) and Christine Leonard (Clinical Nurse Specialist) Photo TUH
From this week, treatment will be delivered to patients in a more spacious, bright and modern setting, after the Day Unit moved from its former location to the space previously occupied by the Renal Unit.
In October 2020, the Renal Unit moved into a new, purpose-built 2,700m2 facility on the TUH campus, which left the former, 12-bed renal unit vacant.
However, following a complete refurbishment, and the introduction of additional single rooms, bathrooms and meeting spaces, the Oncology team and its patients have a new home.
Heather Sloane, Clinical Nurse Manager of the Oncology Day Unit, said: “The oncology service in TUH is dedicated to excellence in care.
“However, our previous unit had insufficient space and lacked privacy.
“Nurses had to manoeuvre between patients to administer treatments or have conversations with families without sufficient privacy given the open plan nature of the unit.
“As a multidisciplinary team we are really looking forward to welcoming our patients this week to the new improved space where they will receive their treatment.”
The development of the new Oncology Day Unit was supported by the Tallaght University Hospital Foundation (TUHF).
Commenting on the opening, Douglas Collins, Chief Executive of TUHF, said: “Tallaght University Hospital Foundation committed to support the hospital’s efforts to provide patients with a contemporary, dignified environment.
“This refurbishment of the old Renal space for the new unit has created a modern, welcoming space in the hospital, which allows for privacy and gives oncology patients the environment they deserve at a time when they are most vulnerable.
“We want to extend a massive thank you to all our donors, the James Gill Memorial Trust and James’ family.
“Thanks to their generosity and commitment, we can reflect the standard of our patient care with modern, bright facilities that offer comfort and the best possible experience when receiving treatment.”
According to Ciaran Faughan, the hospital’s Director of Facilities and Estates, TUH is working through a list of capital infrastructure projects, which improve access for patients.
He also wished to thank the work of the Technical Services Team.
“I would like to acknowledge the incredible work of the Technical Services Team that completed this project in the first few months of this year, a time when we were dealing with the height of Covid-19 and the various challenges it presented to us,” Mr Faughan said.
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