Athlone's new community nursing unit to open next month
In what will be a landmark moment for the HSE's service provision in Athlone, all of the remaining residents of St Vincent's Care Centre (formerly St Vincent's Hospital) will be moving to the new 50-bed community nursing unit in Clonbrusk next month.
After years of planning and development, the community nursing unit, formally named Heartlands Care Centre, is due to open on the week starting Monday, March 23.
In addition, a HSE spokesperson indicated that the relocation of South Westmeath Hospice services from the St Vincent's site would be proceeding next month, with four palliative care beds in the new nursing unit also scheduled to open on the week commencing March 23.
Construction of the new community nursing unit began in 2023, with the works on site completed last autumn.
In response to a query from the Westmeath Independent, a HSE spokesperson said the facility would be up and running in less than seven weeks' time.
"The centre was handed over to the HSE on October 30, with a 25-day snagging period, with final handover on December 5, 2025," said the HSE statement.
The spokesperson added that a formal application for the registration of the facility with the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) had been submitted.
"It is envisaged that Heartlands Care Centre will be operational week commencing March 23," the spokesperson said.
There are currently 39 residents of the St Vincent's Care Centre facility who will transfer to the new site, along with the staff team. The HSE said that seven full-time staff roles would also be added due to the increased number of beds in Clonbruk.
"The existing staff team will transfer with the 39 residents, with recruitment well advanced for the additional seven whole-time equivalents required to open the nine new beds," said the spokesperson.
Signage with the names, 'Heartlands Care Centre', 'Heartlands Day Centre' and 'South Westmeath Hospice' was erected outside the premises last year.
There is uncertainty about what the long-term future use of the prominent St Vincent's Care Centre site will be.
At a meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District last month, Cllr Frankie Keena called for the site to be used as a 'stepdown facility' providing transitional care for patients who are medically stable but not ready to go home.
"The public are continually asking me 'What is going to happen to the St. Vincent’s Care Centre building when it is vacated?' - and it's a valid question that needs answers," said Cllr Keena last month.
His call for a stepdown facility to be put in place at the site was backed by his fellow local councillors, with Cllr Paul Hogan saying: "We should have a facility like this on our doorstep, it would serve the people of Athlone well."
Last summer, the HSE said it was carrying out a review of its accommodation needs in Westmeath, and that this would assist in finding a future use for the St Vincent Care Centre site in Athlone.
"When complete, the review will enable HSE Midlands to put an appropriate plan in place for the future use of the St Vincent's site," it said.