The health services on both sides of the border are set to benefit from a welcome investment from the EU’s INTERREG VA programme secured by Co-operation and Working Together (CAWT), the cross border health and social care partnership.
The Special EU Programmes Body has awarded a total of €26.5 million euros to the CAWT Partnership, which will directly benefit people living in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland.
This EU funding will be used to support four large-scale cross border health and social care projects up to 2021.
Members of the CAWT Management Board which recently marked the Organisations 25th Anniversary. L to R: Ed McClean, NI Public Health Agency (Belfast); Dean Sullivan, Director of Commissioning, NI Health & Social Care Board (Belfast), Tom Daly, HSE Assistant National Director & Director General, CAWT; Elaine Way, Chief Executive, Western Health & Social Care Trust (Derry), John Hayes, Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1 (HSE), Bernie McCrory, Chief Officer, CAWT; Photo by Clive Wasson
The projects are in the areas of acute hospital services, mental health, children’s services and community health and well-being. A fifth project is being led by NHS Scotland and is in the area of primary care and older people’s services. The CAWT Partnership is an active participant in this Scottish led Project which has a budget of €8.7million
Welcoming the final confirmation of this funding for the region, Tom Daly, Director General of CAWT and HSE, Assistant National Director said: “CAWT celebrates 25 years in existence this year and I am delighted that the partner organisations have secured this important additional investment for communities and services in the border region. Over the years, previous EU INTERREG programme funding has helped to strengthen and consolidate North / South co-operation in health and social care.
“The HSE, through its North/South Unit in Manorhamilton is the Lead Partner for this new INTERREG funding allocation which will enable further progress and expansion of cross border health services and will see the recruitment of over 100 staff when the projects are fully rolled out.
L-R: John Hayes, Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1 (HSE); Pat Harvey, former CEO, NWHB; Tom Daly, HSE Assistant National Director & Director General, CAWT; Donal O’Shea, former CEO, NWHB, Paula Keon, HSE North/South Unit & CAWT Secretariat; Dr. Christine McMaster, NI, Public Health Agency; John Meehan, HSE, Mental Health Service; Sean Murphy, General Manager, Letterkenny University Hospital. Photo by Clive Wasson
“Coupled with the recent major developments in all-Island and cross border health services including the investment of £65 million in the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Area Hospital, the Emergency Cardiology Service for Donegal being provided via Altnagelvin Area Hospital and the development of Paediatric Congenital Cardiac Services in Dublin to cater for the all-Island population, we expect this EU INTERREG investment to lead to further consolidation of North/South Co-operation in the vital health and social care sector.
He added: “These EU funded projects will continue until the 2020/2021 period.
“Each of the contracts for these projects has made funding provision for the complete project period, including the post-Brexit phase. Thus, there is no concern in relation to the security of funding for this programme of approved initiatives.”
L-R: Tom Daly, HSE Assistant National Director & Director General, CAWT, Pat Harvey, Former CEO, NWHB, Elaine Way, Chief Executive, Western Health & Social Care Trust (Derry). Photo by Clive Wasson
The CAWT partnership members who jointly secured this EU funding are the Health Service Executive (HSE) in the Republic of Ireland and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, the Western Health and Social Care Trust, the Public Health Agency and the Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland.
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