Technological University of Shannon: Midlands Midwest officially opens

The Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) officially opened on 1 October.

Ireland’s newest technological university has a student population of 14,000 and a staff of 1,200 working across six campuses in Athlone, Limerick, Ennis, Clonmel and Thurles.

The formation of TUS comes after a number of years of extensive collaboration between Athlone Institute of Technology and Limerick Institute of Technology, which also encompasses the Limerick School of Art and Design.

The new higher education institution is the third Technological University (TU) to be established in the country following the creation of TU Dublin in January 2019, and Munster TU earlier this year. 

TUS is designed to drive development and investment across the midlands and midwest with a consolidation of expertise that will further strengthen its competitiveness, attract foreign direct investment and create employment for graduates.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Inaugural President, Professor Vincent Cunnane, said "achieving Technological University status creates momentum that will have a far-reaching positive impact for generations to come. It is also hugely significant for the wider economic landscape of the midlands and midwest, with an estimated economic impact of approximately €420 million per year." 

Minister Donnelly welcomes reduction in geriatric assessments waiting times

The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly has welcomed a reduction in geriatric assessments waiting times under a new Sláintecare funded project.

The Age Related Care (ARC) Team project at Wexford General Hospital (WGH) and CHO 5 South East Community Healthcare, providing comprehensive geriatric assessments for older people, has reduced waiting times from six months to six weeks.

The team includes an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, a Senior Dietitian, a Medical Social Worker, a Senior Occupational Therapist and a Senior Physiotherapist. Patients who are referred to the service by the acute hospital as well as through community health services can access a range of services in one visit.

Recent results from the service show a reduction in non-attendance rates for appointments down from 10 per cent to 3 per cent while applications for long term care from the acute setting reduced by 12 per cent. A 14 per cent reduction in delayed discharges were also recorded.

Speaking about the service, Minister Donnelly said “Geriatric assessments allow older people in Wexford to access a range of services in one visit in their community – leading to better outcomes for patients and healthcare workers and improving quality of life. By building on existing services, this new model of integrating services is improving attendance rates and reducing waiting times for individual services.”

ARC has successfully secured long term funding through the Enhanced Community Care fund and aims to expand their services into four further locations in Wexford, New Ross, Enniscorthy and Gorey.

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Rathdrum Primary Care Centre opens

Rathdrum Primary Care Centre in Wicklow opened earlier this month offering a range of services including a GP Practice, Public Health Nursing, Paediatric Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Psychology, Mental Health and Social Work services.

The new centre will expand to include Dietetics and Podiatry in the future and deliver a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service and Chronic Disease Programme, funded by Sláintecare.

Speaking at the official opening, Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly said “the establishment of Primary Care Centres, like this one, puts service users at the centre of healthcare policy in Ireland. They are pivotal in the realisation of Sláintecare's vision to shift health and social care services left and take pressure off the acute care system in hospitals".

The Centre provides a population of over 6,000 people within the area access to a full range of community-based health and social care services.

Geraldine Tabb wins Nurse of the Year award at (HCCI) Home Care awards

Geraldine Tabb from Waterford has won Nurse of the Year at the Home and Community Care Ireland (HCCI) Home Care awards.

Geraldine, who works as a nurse with Right at Home in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow was chosen by judges at an awards event in the Shelbourne hotel on 21 October.

The HCCI Home Care awards celebrate the vital work that enables the most vulnerable to stay in the safety and comfort of home.

This year’s judging panel included Brendan Courtney (TV presenter and designer), Professor Thomas Kearns (Executive Director, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI), Katie Sloan (CEO Leading Age, USA) and Sandra Tuohy (the HSE’s Assistant National Director, Operations and Services for Older People).

Accepting the award, Geraldine said: “I would like to thank all the team at Right at Home who nominated me and to the judges who deemed me worthy of such an award. The team at Right at Home are absolutely fantastic. During the pandemic we all worked together, and we pulled together. We had our ups and downs, but we did get over them as a group and I think we all know here that teamwork is dream work. So, I would like to say thank you to each and every one of our staff and especially to David who is a wonderful leader and treats all of the staff with dignity and respect.”