CHILDREN in the Mid West in need of surgery for a range of childhood issues will no longer have to travel to Dublin for their procedures after a history-making appointment at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).
A new a specialist in children’s surgery, in place for the first time ever in the region, has joined the UL Hospitals Group team and will operating out of University Hospital Limerick with clinics in Ennis.
The appointment of Tara Connelly was made this week in partnership with Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).
Based at UHL with clinics and endoscopy lists in Ennis Hospital, Ms Connelly will focus on general surgery and perform elective and emergency adult surgeries.
Her elective paediatric work will be based in UHL and focus on general surgical conditions of childhood.
Ms Connelly, who completed her surgical qualifications at UHL, said she was “very excited to return to Limerick and take up this unique role that combines my adult and paediatric surgical practices”.
“This role is a first for both the Mid West and the country. It offers parents the opportunity to receive quality surgical care for their children right here in the region.”
Prof J Calvin Coffey, head of surgery at UL Hospitals Group, described Ms Connelly’s appointment as heralding a “new era” for the Mid West region, “in which children will be able to receive specialist general surgical care locally, right here in the Mid West”.
“The appointment addresses the acknowledged long-standing deficit in general surgical paediatric healthcare outside of Dublin. Ms Connelly’s appointment will greatly enhance the ability to care for children with surgical conditions both in the emergency and in the planned setting in the Mid Western region.”
Ms Connelly said that as a parent in the Mid West herself, she can appreciate both the convenience and peace of mind that having a locally available surgeon with paediatric training will bring to Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary.
“The paediatric surgical population is unique. As clinicians, we need to be mindful of all of the organisation that the day of a child’s operation requires from families,” she said.
“This includes taking time off from work for the parent, missing school for the patient, and arranging childcare for the other children in the family. Offering paediatric procedures here at UHL will help ease these burdens for parents and eliminate the need for trips to Dublin with the time and extra expense involved in many cases,” she said.
