150 Years Of Caring in St. Michael’s Hospital

How do you celebrate a Sesquicentennial (that’s a 150th Anniversary, in simpler terms!)? With a present, of course – and we are proud to say that St. Vincent’s Healthcare Foundation presented St. Michael’s Hospital with a brand-new patient transport vehicle on the day they celebrated this enormous milestone. Funded entirely by donations, we handed the keys to the vehicle to Interim CEO, Siobhan McCaffrey and Facilities Controller, Keith Neville and were joined by Minister of Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeil to do so.

The vehicle can accommodate up to 9 passengers, is adapted for wheelchairs and is used to transfer patients to and from the hospital, as needed. In high demand, it’s already out and about on the roads, so do look out for it. Every trip saves a transfer by ambulance or taxi, so is an economical saving for the busy hospital teams, that also provides an efficient, friendly service for patients. The vehicle is also used to transport bloods and other products between our hospitals.

On the big day itself, Siobhan remarked, “For 150 years, St. Michael’s Hospital has cared for the people of Dún Laoghaire and the wider South Dublin East community. This anniversary is an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary people who continue that tradition of care every day. Founded on the belief that everyone should have access to care, dignity and compassion, that purpose still guides our work. As demand for our services continues to grow, our future plans will help ensure we can continue to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care for generations to come”.

Back in 1876, St. Michael’s Hospital was established thanks to local fundraising, donations and philanthropy. The legacy of those first supporters was to establish a local hospital, which today is a much loved and trusted one, providing excellent medical care to its patients. In giving a vehicle from today’s donors, we keep that spirit of community support alive – and we are grateful for the generosity that made it possible.

We wish the hard-working team at St. Michael’s Hospital all the very best for their next century and beyond!

Picture shows Imelda Reynolds, Siobhan McCaffrey, Keith Neville, Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeil, Helen McVeigh and Gerry O’Brien.

New Overnight Sleeper Chairs for C.F. Unit

We have funded the purchase of two new overnight sleeper chairs for use on St. Christopher’s Ward, where care is provided for Cystic Fibrosis and Respiratory patients.

The chairs are specially designed for comfort, whilst conforming to infection control measures, and are used by patient relatives and friends. They cleverly convert to beds for those wishing to stay with their loved one overnight or for long periods of time.

We know patients are pleased to have this support from their family and friends, especially at a time of great need.

Our picture shows some of the ward team proudly unwrapping one of the new chairs L. to R. Etain Tighe , Deepa Andrews, Xin Li Cai and Nicoleo Ardiente.

Expert Training for the Liver Transplant Team

St. Vincent’s University Hospital hosts Ireland’s National Liver Transplant Programme, and has done since 1993. Over the years more than 1,000 transplants have been performed for patients from all over the country.

New advances in transplant technology and equipment include “Perfusion Devices”, which help to preserve and repair organs donated for transplant. Our highly professional staff recently attended specialist training in liver perfusion, in the Netherlands which was funded by St. Vincent’s Healthcare Foundation. This ground-breaking technology has the potential to increase the number of transplants, reduce complications for patients and help develop more personalised treatments. We are happy to support the team in their valuable and life-saving work.

Pictures show some of the team undertaking training in Groningen, Netherlands.