University Hospital Waterford (Irish: Ospidéal na hOllscoile, Port Láirge), formerly known as Waterford Regional Hospital (WRH), is a teaching hospital located in Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland. It is managed by South/Southwest Hospital Group.[1]
University Hospital Waterford | |
---|---|
Health Service Executive | |
Shown in Ireland | |
Geography | |
Location | Dunmore Road, County Waterford, Ireland |
Coordinates | 52°14′55″N 7°04′43″W / 52.2487°N 7.0785°W |
Organisation | |
Care system | HSE |
Type | Regional |
Affiliated university | University College Cork Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Waterford Institute of Technology |
Services | |
Emergency department | Yes |
Beds | 429 |
History | |
Opened | 1952 |
Links | |
Website | Hospital's pages on the HSE site |
The hospital has its origins in the Ardkeen Chest Hospital which was established in 1952.[2] After services had been transferred from St. Patrick's Hospital, Waterford in 1959, the chest hospital developed into a general hospital known as Waterford Regional Hospital (WRH).[2] New facilities including a new accident and emergency department, a new neonatal unit, and a new CT scanning unit were officially opened by James Reilly, Minister of Health, in May 2014.[3] The hospital was renamed University Hospital Waterford at that time.[3]
In April 2019, it was claimed that bodies had been 'left to decompose' on trolleys at the hospital.[4]
In 2016 local businessman Matt Shanahan began a campaign to improve UHW cardiology services with a second cath lab and 24/7 percutaneous coronary intervention capability. It was the main plank of his successful election campaigns as an independent candidate in the 2019 local election and the 2020 general election.[5]
The hospital provides 429 beds, of which 71 are reserved for acute day cases.[6] A further 45 beds are for psychiatric services.[6] University College Cork is its primary academic partner, and it is also affiliated with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Waterford Institute of Technology.[7]