Patients in Louth and Meath are set to benefit from improved access to planned surgical care following the opening of the new HSE Dublin and North East Surgical Hub in Swords.
Officially opened this week by Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, the state-of-the-art facility is expected to expand capacity for day case procedures, reduce waiting times and ease pressure on acute hospitals across the region, including those serving patients in Louth and Meath.
Minister Carroll MacNeill said, “I am delighted to open this HSE Surgical Hub in Swords, which will make a real difference to people’s lives. These new facilities will enable delivery of faster, more efficient elective care for patients.
“We know that demand for health services continues to grow, which is why we are investing now in delivering a network of Surgical Hubs across the country which will help to drive down waiting times for elective care.”
The new Surgical Hub is a modern, purpose-built facility for day case surgery and minor procedures and forms part of the HSE’s national elective care programme. Designed to increase capacity for planned care, it includes four operating theatres, two procedure rooms, an 11-bay recovery unit, a 21-bay day ward and 10 outpatient assessment rooms. Using best-practice patient pathways, suitable patients can undergo treatment and return home the same day. The hub will provide a range of specialties including general surgery, dermatology, gynaecology, ophthalmology, ENT, orthopaedics and urology, supported by modern facilities, multidisciplinary teams and digital infrastructure to deliver safe, efficient and high-quality care.
By concentrating day surgery in a dedicated public facility, the hub is expected to deliver thousands of additional minor operations and outpatient appointments every year. This additional capacity will directly support national efforts to reduce the time people wait for treatment and to meet Sláintecare waiting time targets for inpatient day cases and outpatient care. For patients in Louth and Meath, this means faster access to planned care, fewer last-minute cancellations, and a clearer pathway from referral to treatment.
HSE CEO Anne O’Connor said: “The opening of the Dublin and North East Surgical Hub marks a significant step forward in the delivery of planned healthcare services. The purpose-built facility will increase surgical capacity, reduce waiting times and provide patients with faster and more predictable access to treatment. A key benefit of the hub is the separation of elective procedures from emergency and unscheduled care, helping to ensure planned operations can proceed even during periods of pressure on acute hospitals. By carrying out suitable day case surgeries at the hub, hospitals across the region, including those serving Louth and Meath, will be able to focus more resources on urgent and complex cases. The new facility is expected to improve patient flow, reduce cancellations and support healthcare staff in delivering safe, efficient and high-quality care”
The opening of the Dublin and North East Surgical Hub is a clear example of national health policy being translated into real services for public patients, delivering on the Government’s commitment to increase elective-only day-case capacity and in line with the HSE’s Corporate Plan 2025–2027. Alongside other hubs now in development across the country, it is a key component of the national elective care programme and a major milestone for patients in the Dublin and North East health region.
Speaking at the opening of the Surgical Hub, the HSE’s Paddy Clerkin, Integrated Health Area Manager for Louth and Meath, said:
“The surgical hub is a major enhancement to our services for patients in Louth and Meath. It will give people faster access to planned surgery and help to significantly reduce day case waiting times across the region. By moving appropriate elective procedures into a dedicated facility, we can free up capacity in our acute hospitals and allow them to focus on patients who need emergency and complex care.”
