Cuan Aoibheann is HSE-integrated, with patients referred to the care centre by their GP where they receive tests and meet with a consultant and their team.
It’s the first centre to offer a respiratory/cardiology clinic, which provides a unified approach to managing cardiopulmonary disorders.
COPD patient Beatrice Lyons, from Dublin 15, attended Cuan Aoibheann after she contracted a serious respiratory infection.
“Last November, I contracted an SRV, that’s a serious respiratory virus. I ended up in Connolly hospital for two weeks, unable to breathe,” Beatrice said.
“Just before I left the hospital, the COPD nurse came to see me, and said she would make a home visit next week. We went through everything, and presumed that I would slowly get better.
“Christmas intervened, and I was getting worse. I couldn’t breathe at all. My daughter Sam called the COPD nurse, and she came in to see me again.
“She quickly made an appointment at Cuan Aoibheann and from there, everything began to get better.
“It’s a very peaceful place. It’s small, it’s staffed by everyone that can help you. A physiotherapist, a breathing specialist, a heart specialist, all in the one building in the Phoenix Park.
“I can go in and have a heart echo, a breathing test, physiotherapy on the one day in the one place.
“Not like when you have to go to the hospital, you’re in one department one day, you may have to wait a couple of months for an appointment in a different department.”
Beatrice admitted to being quite nervous before a hospital appointment, but that fear is no longer there.
“It’s a wonderful place, because you get to know the people there and they get to know you. You meet the same nurse, the same doctor, the same everything, every time, instead of in a hospital, it can be anyone.
“They all know my name. I know all of their names, and they don’t have to go through everything with you, because they already have done that, and they have it in front of them. There’s less stress on the patient.
“The other thing that’s lovely is driving through Phoenix Park when I’m going for an appointment. We can see the deer, the lovely trees. It’s beautiful,” she added.
Beatrice’s daughter Samantha has praised Cuan Aoibheann, saying both her and her mother have gotten their lives back.
“I teach in a third level college so if I’m not there, the class doesn’t happen. If I’m not there, I don’t get paid, and I have to find a cover for myself too.
“When mom initially got ill, they said she’s going to need to go to all these appointments. I would’ve had to take her.
“But the great thing about Cuan Aoibheann is that they ask what date suits me. I cannot praise them enough for that. It has been life-changing.
“They gave me back my mam because I nearly lost her with the infection she had. I knew she was not right at all. It was very difficult.
“I felt a weight of relief that somebody in Cuan Aoibheann was taking my concerns about mam seriously and that they were going to help her.
“The change in mam has been absolutely amazing. She’s a different woman from this time last year.
“It’s great to be able to get in and get all the appointments done in one place. It does take pressure off the main hospitals too.”
Dr Abirami Subramaniam, Consultant Respiratory and General Physician at Cuan Aoibheann, added: “The chronic disease management programme, alongside enhanced community care initiatives, represents a transformative approach to healthcare in Ireland.
“For patients like Beatrice, this means receiving holistic care closer to home, saving time and money and improving their quality of life.
“By emphasising early intervention and empowering people to manage their chronic illnesses, we help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, reduce the need for unnecessary tests and improve overall patient outcomes.”
