£10m allocation next year for Altnagelvin and Gransha projects

HEALTH Minister Edwin Poots has allocated £9,911,726 for the forthcoming financial year towards a new radiotherapy centre, new fire safety lifts and new decontamination equipment at Altnaglevin Hospital and a new adult mental health unit at Gransha.

The expenditure is part of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) approved capital budget for 2011/12 of £200m.

He has set aside £811,726 of the £60m required for the new regional radiotherapy unit which is due to be completed in 2016.

A further £1,600,000 has been allocated for a new fire lift at the end of the Ward wing at Altnagelvin.

The lift - which will address risk issues associated with patient evacuation in the event of a fire and is due to be completed in 2012 - will cost £2,183,000 in total.

He has also allocated £600,000 of £1,849,000 needed for the upgrade and replacement of decontamination equipment at Altnagelvin hospital, which will be finished in 2013.

And £6,900,000 of £10,677,000 needed to build a replacement adult Mental Health Unit at Gransha by 2013 has also been earmarked.

Mr Poots stated: “My approved capital budget for 2011/12 is £200m. Of this £104m is needed for schemes that are contractually committed or which are attached to an approved business case. £93m has been allocated towards a range of fixed annual costs such as NIFRS; NIAS; ICT; maintaining estate and services etc.

A further £3m is earmarked for schemes for which the relevant business case is not yet approved. Details cannot be provided for these schemes until business case approval is confirmed.”