£2.2m refurb for Robinson Hospital

A £2.2m proposal for the refurbishment of a Ballymoney hospital was approved by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust at a meeting of the board on Thursday morning, writes Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.
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The Robinson Memorial Hospital will be given an upgrade funded by the hospital’s charitable trust.

The hospital, located adjacent to Ballymoney Health Centre, at Newal Road, was established 90 years ago. It is a community rehabilitation facility which has 16 beds. Patients are admitted to the unit as ‘step down’ from acute hospitals.

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The renovation will provide six single rooms with  en suite, one two-bed ward with ensuite and two four-bed wards with ensuite facilities.

Roy Hamill, the Northern Trust’s Interim Divisional Director of Community Care, told members: “Many facilities are quite outdated.” He noted just two single rooms with ensuite facilities. He added that the renovation will “enhance the site for the benefit of the local community and users within the Northern Trust”.

Mr Hamill indicated that the transformation will involve a six-month closure with work expected to be completed by October 2022. A 12-week public consultation will now take place before a design team is appointed. He went on to say that as a result of a temporary closure, impact will be “mitigated by provision across community hospitals and additional nursing home beds” in the Causeway area.

Owen Harkin, Executive Director of Finance, noted that the Robinson Hospital’s charitable trust has built up a “significant fund” over the years which will “fully fund” this project and development of the facility must be “in line” with the Northern Trust’s “strategic aims”.

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Wendy Magowan, the Trust’s Interim Director of Operations, commented: “Facilities at the Robinson are open to all residents of the Northern Trust area irrespective of their home address. They have been a consistent Covid step down hospital this past year for the whole area.”