Phone signal issues at multi million euro hospital ward
Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.
Patients attending a new multi-million euro ward block are having issues with their mobile phone coverage.
The new 50 bedded ward block at Portiuncula University Hospital was officially opened in September. The long awaited project represented a €35 million capital investment at the East Galway hospital site.
At the recent HSE West Regional Health Forum, Fine Gael Galway County Councillor Alan Harney said there were issues with the phone signal in the new ward block and asked were there plans in place to remedy this.
In response, the Saolta Hospital Group acknowledged the issue with mobile phone coverage in the new 50 bedded replacement ward block.
“This is similar to other sites. Nationally IT are reviewing all sites and are prioritising sites to improve cellular coverage – this work will progress in 2025,” it said.
Speaking at the forum, Cllr Alan Harney welcomed the ward block and commended the staff at the hospital for their work on the project.
“I have heard reports from people who have used the new ward block, and the facilities are much improved.” But he said that he was “astonished” by the issue that had emerged over the mobile phone coverage.
“Obviously people who are in hospital need to contact family members. I think it is a fairly basic requirement,” he said.
He said it was not “rocket science” to make sure that people can have phone coverage in the ward block.
“I think it should be sorted sooner rather than later.”
Chief Operating Officer Ann Cosgrove said that a lot of the HSE’s newer buildings had higher insulation levels, “which in some cases actually impedes the mobile phone signal”.
“We have completed a survey around the 50 bedded ward block and we will be looking at cabling for a mobile phone signal booster.” She said that she would revert with a timeline for the works to be completed on the block.
She added that it was her understanding that the cabling standards for new builds were being updated to “future proof new building specifications to try and address this and avoid it happening in further new builds”.
