Health Minister, Simon Harris has officially opened the new Mayo Hospice in Castlebar.
The €9.2 million state-of-the-art unit has 14 specialist palliative care bedrooms, a day care department and family accommodation.
It was built by the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, completed on budget, in 18 months and is loan free.
The Mayo Roscommon Foundation has been in existence since 1993. Since then, it has funded palliative care services in community, hospitals and nursing homes for the people of Mayo and Roscommon, in partnership with the HSE.
The Foundation aims to build a Palliative Care Centre in each county and following the opening of the Mayo Hospice, plans for the Roscommon Hospice are at an advanced stage.
Health Minister, Simon Harris said, “The community has worked tirelessly for over two decades to get us to this point. As Minister for Health, I am so pleased I can support you and was delighted to have secured the funding for this wonderful facility in Budget 2020.
Martina Jennings, CEO of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation said ”Today is a testament to the people of Mayo and Roscommon, this amazing 14 bedroom in patient unit, with daycare facilities has been desperately needed in the county and we are thrilled to have reached a milestone in delivering the €9.2 Million euro building on time and under budget.
“We are so grateful to Minister Harris for including the Mayo Hospice in his budget for 2020. This means that the next stage can now begin, with the aim of admitting patients by spring of next year.”
