The HSE will shortly open a recently completed, new Integrated Healthcare Hub in Waterford.
The project cost €17 million and involved renovating the St. Paul’s building at St. Otteran’s, John’s Hill, Waterford. The new Hub will facilitate outpatient appointments across three Consultant led disciplines which were previously provided for in University Hospital Waterford.
Two floors of the existing St. Otteran’s Complex have been extensively renovated to feature medical treatment facilities for Audiology, Orthodontics, and Ophthalmology services.
Theatre based, acute interventional and specialist operations in all three disciplines will continue to occur at University Hospital Waterford. All outpatient activity in Audiology, Orthodontics and Ophthalmology will continue to be provided within the community setting but now in one centralised location at the new St. Otteran’s Complex, John’s Hill, Waterford.
The main building for what had been St. Otteran’s psychiatric hospital ceased to house patients in 2007. Following planning approval in 2022 and necessary, extensive enablement works that began in 2023, the next phase in the St. Otteran’s complex project was the refurbishment of disused wards.
Background and Renovations
- St. Otteran’s Hospital, originally opened in 1835, stopped being a psychiatric hospital in 2007.
- The St. Paul’s building, built in 1895, has been preserved, with its red brick Victorian design incorporated into the new development.
- Planning for the Integrated Healthcare Hub was approved in 2022, and renovations began in 2023.
- A new two-story entrance was added, along with 42 parking spaces, disabled parking, landscaping, and accessibility improvements.
Facilities
The new complex covers approximately 30,000 square feet across three floors (including the lower ground floor):
- Ground Floor: Audiology, Ophthalmology
- First Floor: Orthodontics with treatment areas, an X-ray area, a decontamination unit and staff facilities. Ophthalmology
The Integrated Healthcare Hub at the St. Otteran’s Complex is currently undergoing an equipping phase and patient services across all three disciplines are expected to begin in May.
Congratulating all those involved in bringing the project to fruition, Dr. Sinéad Reynolds (Integrated Healthcare Area Manager Waterford and Wexford, HSE Dublin and South East) said:
“This is the culmination of a very significant project for the HSE. In line with the national Sláintecare strategy, we have been integrating hospital and primary healthcare and enhancing community care. This investment will also benefit University Hospital Waterford, where the move of inpatient services associated with this project will free up space at UHW for its acute medical activity serving the South East region.”
“The St. Paul’s building underwent a remarkable transformation, from disuse to a state of art medical facility. Working with the RKD Architect firm, Nevin Construction and other contractors, it has been a meticulous renovation process and we have ensured that every aspect of the building met the modern standards required for medical departments.”
“Located, as it is, adjacent to the state of the art Waterford Primary Care Centre in John’s Hill, there are also renovation plans for the remainder of the old main building at St. Otteran’s to house outpatient and other medical treatment services currently delivered at University Hospital Waterford.”
“We look forward to the public and our own HSE staff availing of the impressive piece of healthcare infrastructure that is the Integrated Healthcare Hub in the new St. Otteran’s Complex”
Last updated on: 26 / 03 / 2025
