The Irish Government has granted its approval to go to tender to build the new National Maternity Hospital (NMH) at St Vincent’s Hospital site in Dublin.

The Irish Cabinet approved the business cases for NMH’s relocation from its existing Holles Street location.  

In the coming weeks, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is ready to go to tender on the project.

This facility will be a seven-storey building with a gross internal floor area of about 54,000m².

It will comprise 244 beds, with an increase of 80 in-patient and daycare beds from the existing count at Holles Street, as well as five theatres, 24 birthing rooms, and early pregnancy foetal assessment and ultrasound facilities.

The new NMH will also feature spaces to facilitate near-patient education and professional development for healthcare professionals.

It will also offer facilities to support various maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services.

The hospital has been designed to support the delivery of a range of shared services between the NMH and SVUH hospitals, including the laboratories, sterile services, and patient and staff catering.

The co-location of maternity services with adult acute services is expected to give quicker access to emergency care.

Ireland Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “The new National Maternity Hospital will be the biggest and most important investment in women’s healthcare in Ireland in decades.

“The quality of care delivered at the existing NMH at Holles Street is of the highest standard but is currently limited by infrastructural constraints.

“The new NMH is designed to be aligned with leading international standards which will result in improved patient and family experiences.

“Co-location of the NMH with St Vincent’s at Elm Park will enable greater and more direct access to a wide range of critical care and specialist medical services, reducing risk for both the mother and the newborn baby.”