Building work has started at Waterford Regional Hospital (WRH) on a Pharmacy Aseptic Chemotherapy Compounding Unit, a project which the HSE has identified as important for development of cancer services in the region.

At an overall cost of €575,000, it is anticipated that the unit will be operational by the end of March 2011. The building is a prefabricated, modular type and it is being constructed on traditional foundations, with rising block work walls on-site as an extension to the hospital’s Pharmacy Department.

The main contractor is David Flynn Ltd, the lead design company is Douglas Carroll Consulting Engineers and Roankabin Ltd are providing the prefabricated modular unit, which is due on site in WRH in the coming days.

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The new facility in WRH will provide equipment and an environment of the correct quality to meet standards for preparation of treatments for cancer and related conditions. The facility in Waterford will also substantially reduce the hospital’s dependence on Dublin based suppliers of pre-prepared doses of medication.

Commenting on the development of Pharmacy Aseptic Chemotherapy Compounding Unit, the General Manager at Waterford Regional Hospital, Patricia Sullivan said: "This development is essential for WRH, as one of the country’s eight specialist Cancer Centres.

"It will ensure timely and appropriate treatment and optimise use of resources, in line with ongoing efforts of the HSE, management and staff at WRH in constantly working to improve the quality and effectiveness of cancer care to our patients and clients.

"Having upgraded facilities for preparing doses on-site in Waterford will improve service responsiveness, reduce costs, save waste and make us less vulnerable to transport difficulties which can occur – such as those we have seen in the recent bad weather."

(CD/BMcC)