ConnoLLy hospital blanchardstown marked its recent 60th anniversary with a special event attended by tánaiste and minister for social Protection joan burton and minister for health Leo Varadkar.

formerly a junior doctor at the hospital, minister Varadkar paid tribute to the staff at the hospital.

“this is a very special occasion to pay tribute to all of the men and women who have worked here over the past 60 years, the 900 staff working here today and the thousands who went before us, the medical staff, the porters and cleaners, medical scientists, management, nurses, therapists and all the support staff. i have very happy memories of working here myself back in 2004 and 2005.”

“Connolly hospital now forms part of the RCsi hospital group and there are major developments underway. in three months’ time, the planning application for the three-storey Children’s unit will be lodged with an bord Pleanala. it will include a walk-in Children’s emergency department or urgent Care Centre, paediatric out-patient department and children’s dentistry. i also think there is enormous potential for the RCsi group to exploit Connolly’s land bank and location to develop a major healthcare campus here for the group combining medical and academic facilities with industry, research and life sciences.”

a number of major developments have been completed at the hospital in recent years, including the opening of the endoscopy

ConnoLLy hosPitaL maRks 60 yeaRs

summer 2015 | health matters | 55

(l-r) front row: Judy mcentee, Director of nursing; Joan Burton, tánaiste and minister for social Protection; leo varadkar, minister for Health; louise Collins, Director of Clinical services. middle row: mairead lyons, Hospital manager; Prof eamon leen, Clinical Director; anne maher, Chairperson, rCsi Hospitals group; Bill maher, Ceo rCsi Hospitals group; rachel saunders, Hr manager. Back row: shona schneemann, Deputy Hospital manager; Caroline stratton, finance manager; Doreen Powell, risk manager, at the anniversary celebrations in Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown.

unit in 2011 and the refurbishment of the acute medical assessment unit (amau) and opening of the new mRi facility in 2014. work is also currently underway to provide additional services at the hospital. these include: a urology service, a new radiology unit and the scoping of a 100-bed Community nursing unit. Connolly hospital is also one of the sites selected for the development of the new national Children’s hospital satellite Centre.

mairead Lyons, hospital manager said: “Connolly hospital is committed to the strategic and operational revision of patient centred quality care, delivered with compassion and professionalism by a valued and dedicated staff, whilst ensuring

excellence, equity and accountability. our core value is to put patients at the heart of what we do and how we do it.”

a number of staff events have been planned as part of the overall birthday celebrations. there was a music night at which Connolly sounds will perform. Connolly sounds are a group of musicians who are all staff from the hospital that have been brought together to perform at the music night. the Castleknock 5km run which takes place in june, will be in aid of the blanchardstown hospital society. in june/july, there will be a further musical event at which blanchardstown brass band will perform and plans are being put in place to hold a ‘hospital history show’ in november.