 |
| Visiting Blanchardstown Primary Care Centre |
The state-of-the-art health facility will have space for 10 GP clinics, and will provide a single point of contact to a whole host of medical services such as nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and nutrition and dietician services.
I also strongly welcome the inclusion of an adult mental health out-patient service at the facility and confirmation from the HSE that the centre will be the new base for the Finglas Community Mental Health Team.
Providing more of our healthcare at primary level is a key part of the Government’s health policy and has been Labour Party policy for many years.
Free access to primary care is a vital building block of a more equitable health service – treating patients in their own community, facilitating early diagnosis and less complicated treatments. It’s good for patients, and good for the healthcare budget.
The HSE held a series of consultations with the local community and took on board several concerns, particularly from residents who live beside the new centre, before submitting their final planning application.
Dublin City Council have now approved these plans, albeit with nine clear conditions for construction, which means the centre can proceed to construction after several delays.
Along with my Labour colleague and Finglas South resident, John Redmond, I supported a primary health centre based in the community from the beginning as I believe it will make a huge difference to people’s health all across Finglas.
Today’s decision brings a fantastic health facility for all Finglas residents a step closer and I hope it can progress to construction as soon as possible.
