One of the country’s busiest hospitals is looking at the purchase of property to accommodate “critical hospital staff” because of growing challenges posed by the housing crisis.
The Mater Hospital in Dublin is considering buying and developing property, which would be used as accommodation and provided to key healthcare workers at “a reasonable rental rate”.
The unorthodox move is being examined because of ongoing problems with staff turnover and difficulties in filling key posts at the hospital.
According to records obtained under FOI, the idea was presented to the board of the Mater Hospital last autumn by CEO Alan Sharp at which point it was in its “preliminary stages”.
Board members asked questions about its eventual cost and potential challenges around “managing the legalities of an employer and landlord relationship”.
However, it was noted that the “potential advantages to staff and the recruitment of staff were significant”.
Separately, the Mater is also planning a major expansion by moving into a vacated kid’s hospital once the National Children’s Hospital is finally finished.
The Mater Hospital in Dublin is looking at moving some clinical services to the nearby Temple Street hospital and using other space freed up there for staff accommodation, creche facilities, and parking to help with recruitment and retention.
All the details in the board minutes posted below: