Construction on Mayo primary care extension to begin soon

Construction on the €8.5 million extension to Castlebar primary care centre will begin next spring, according to Deputy Alan Dillon.

In correspondence from the HSE, Deputy Dillon said he had been informed that planning permission has been granted for the extension to the building at Drumconlon, Moneen, Castlebar.

He elaborated: “The HSE is currently working with the developer to finalise internal room layouts while the developer has indicated they hope to appoint a contractor and begin construction in the second quarter of 2023.”

Deputy Dillon welcomed the news stating the extension will create a further 70 jobs while a range of additional services will also be provided at the centre once the extended area is finished and operational.

These include Public Health Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Podiatry, Dietetics, Child and Family Psychology, Audiology, Opthalmology, Mental Health Intellectual Disability, MRI, Chronic Disease Management Programme and an Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons.

Deputy Dillon said: “I am delighted to see that further progress has been made on the extension to this already busy primary care centre. This is something I have raise with the HSE on a number of occasions.

"Capital investment has a critical role to play in enabling and enhancing service provision, and driving the reforms of universal healthcare, set out in Sláintecare.

"This includes investment to facilitate reorienting the model of care away from acute hospitals like Mayo University Hospital and towards primary and community settings to help support and address capacity and infrastructural deficits that exist within the system.

"With construction beginning next year I look forward to the centre being opened with these additional services which will be of great benefit to the wider community.”