Minister for Health officially opens new St Camillus’ Community Nursing Unit

A MILESTONE in the development of one of Limerick’s most beloved communities has been marked as the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD officially opened the new Community Nursing Unit at St Camillus’ Hospital today.

St Camillus’ Community Nursing Unit is a 75-bed project being completed in two phases to replace existing long-stay beds on the hospital complex.

Speaking as he met residents at the new St Camillus’ CNU this Monday, Minister Donnelly said: “It was a pleasure to attend and open St Camillus’ CNU today and to meet so many of the residents. This is an impressive new building with 50 residential beds. Phase Two will see a further 25 residential beds completed in 2026. This is a good day for healthcare in the Mid-West and is part of a number of new developments in train that will improve and expand capacity in the region.”

With the first phase of construction works having been completed earlier this year, 50 residents have moved into their new home on the Aisling and Saoirse Units.

Construction works on the second phase are currently underway to provide 25 further CNU beds. The estimated total project cost is €31 million.

This investment has allowed St Camillus’ residents to move from largely multi-occupancy accommodation that was no longer fit-for-purpose into a bright, new and spacious modern environment and a choice of outdoor recreation areas. Most residents are in single rooms although shared accommodation is available according to residents’ preferences.

Registered with HIQA in June 2024, the new St Camillus’ CNU meets the needs of older persons who are of low, medium, high or maximum dependency. Each resident is recognised as an individual and a person-centred approach is taken to establish their needs and care pathways to assist them in maximising their activities of daily living. The care team consists of a Director of Nursing and assistant directors of nursing; a medical officer; clinical nurse managers and staff nurses; multi-task attendants; healthcare assistants and allied health professionals.

The names of the two new 25-bedded residential units, Saoirse and Aisling, were selected by the residents, who have been actively involved in planning and designing their new home.

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Noreen Murphy, from Farranshone, Limerick, was once a volunteer for St Camillus’ but came to live there herself three years ago as a resident on the old Sarsfield Unit.

Noreen was among the residents consulted on their preferences for their new home.

“You couldn’t compare it,” said Noreen. “It has everything you could want. You have your own room; your own bathroom. It is so spacious and yet so compact with everything in easy reach. Everything has been thought of. We came from what was basically a condemned building into this and it was a piece of heaven. If there was something wrong, I would be the first to say it. There is one thing that has stayed the same though and that is the most important thing of all. The staff are everything here. They have been so good and so kind to me. Everybody is on first names terms: doctors, nurses everyone - and it is like home.”

Built in 1841 as a workhouse, St Camillus’ Hospital forms part of the fabric of Limerick’s rich history.

Set up in its current function in 1933, St Camillus’ operates 33 consultant-led rehabilitation beds in addition to its residential services. A Day Hospital provides services to the local community which includes diagnostics for both of its rehabilitation units and Integrated Care Programme for Older People (ICPOP) services. There is an ECHO service on site and a bone health service under the governance of a consultant with two DEXA machines. 

Regional Executive Officer, HSE Mid West, Sandra Broderick, said: “St Camillus’ has a proud history of providing excellent services to older people in Limerick. The ongoing development of ICPOP and the expansion of diagnostic and other services designed to keep our older citizens well, is in keeping with that tradition.

“At the heart of that community are the residents at St Camillus’ CNU and it has been our privilege to partner with them in delivering this beautiful new building, which meets the most modern standards around infection control and building regulations, while remaining sensitive to the heritage of the site and, above all, is a place our residents are proud to call home.”

Director of Nursing, St Camillus’ Hospital, Sian Rowe McCormack, said: “It was important to us that residents, their families, and our staff were consulted and involved in planning and delivering the new CNU from the outset. Throughout the construction phase, residents and staff have continued to live and work here on site. Construction work is ongoing as we move to the second phase and we are grateful to all residents, staff and our neighbours for sticking with us during the disruption.

“The new CNU provides residents with a living environment that maintains their independence, health and wellbeing; a safe therapeutic setting in which the rights, privacy, dignity and confidentiality of residents are respected; an environment in which staff can provide a high standard of care in line with evidence-based best practice; and one delivered with the involvement of family and friends in creating and contributing to a happy, homely atmosphere.”