UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

Cork University Hospital

Cork University Hospital

In 1972 a 600 bed inpatient hospital with capacity for further expansion was planned. It ultimately opened as Cork Regional Hospital in 1978. The 40-year history of the hospital is told in a recently published book (St Ledger, 2019) in The Tale of Two Hospitals (Browne, 1988) and in Memories (Southern Health Board, 1971-2004). On opening all acute services transferred from St. Finbarr’s Hospital, cardio-thoracic and mental health services from St. Stephens Hospital, Glanmire. In 2000 Mallow General and Bantry General hospitals joined Cork University Hospital under a single management unit as acute service partners. The Hospital was managed up to 1985 by the Southern Health Board and from 1985 to date by the Health Service Executive. It has become the largest hospital in the South of Ireland and designated as a level 4 Acute Hospital responsible for complex care. In 1994 emphasizing the importance of its role as a teaching hospital and its links with UCC the name of the hospital changed to Cork University Hospital. From 1961 a system of medical joint appointments existed.

Graduation at CUH, 1994 (L-R) front row: Pat Lydon, Margaret Landers, Catherine Flanagan, Finola O’ Sullivan, Tony McNamara, John Dennehy, Fr. Hartnett, Rosaria Murphy, Dr. William Fennell

Sr. Thecla Kelleher, Matron presenting flowers to Emily Curren from Tipperary who was the first patient to be transferred from St. Finbarr’s Hospital to the new Regional Hospital. Michael Cogan Head Porter, is on the right with Tony Fitzgerald Porter. The nurse maybe Mary Owens (Photo: Irish Examiner/Evening Echo)

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