Progress Update National Children’s Hospital Ireland (NCHI) - April 2026

Drone Footage October 2025

• New areas have been handed over for early access, including sections of the ground floor
• Key clinical spaces are being prepared, such as the Emergency Department and Imaging
• Continued installing of equipment, both medical and non-medical

Our teams in CHI are continuing large-scale fit-out works and installation activities throughout the building, with thousands of equipment items already in place in advance of opening.

Our teams in CHI have also been working hard on getting:

• Detailed operational planning across departments
• Staff training programmes and trial runs
• Preparations for patient transition

Early access to theatre and critical care areas is expected later this spring so our staff can work on getting ready for Day 1 opening.

This progress reflects the sustained effort of multidisciplinary teams across Children’s Health Ireland in commissioning, laboratories, ICT, health technology management, HR and clinical services, all working collaboratively to maximise every area of the hospital as it becomes available.

When the National Children’s Hospital Ireland (NCHI) opens, Children's Health Ireland (CHI) will introduce a new Electronic Health Record (EHR), which will replace much of the paper-based documentation and processes currently in use.

An Electronic Health Record or EHR is a secure digital version of your child’s health information.

It brings together important details such as medical history, test results, medications, clinical notes, and appointment information in one place.

Instead of relying on paper records or multiple systems, healthcare professionals involved in your child’s care can securely access the same up‑to‑date information, helping them to work together more effectively.

Introducing an EHR will support safer, more connected care and improve the overall patient and family experience. This means:

• Staff will spend less time handling paper records, making medical records faster to find, file, and manage.
• Outpatient clinics will run more smoothly, with fewer missed appointments thanks to central booking and a patient portal.
• Discharges will happen faster because teams can track patient progress more easily and plan discharge from the day of admission.
• Nurses and clinicians will have more time for patient care, as ordering tests, prescriptions, and accessing notes will be done electronically.
• As the record is electronic, information about a child will be available everywhere it is needed, all of the time. This tool will help clinicians be informed all of the time about what they need to know about a patient – this is challenging today with a paper chart.
• Medical secretaries will spend less time on routine typing and more time on complex work and support tasks.
• Clinicians will have a complete, electronic medical record for each child, bringing all information together in one place.
• Patients and families will have a better experience, with clearer communication and the ability to view records and manage appointments online.
• Another lovely aspect that is being developed at the moment is the Patient Passport – so this will sit in the child’s electronic chart and list their likes/dislikes/additional needs and be easily accessible to any staff member who will interact with that child. This will ensure a better experience for those children with neuro-disability for example.
• The organisation will have better data to monitor and improve clinical and operational performance.
• The data collected will also be invaluable for research conducted on site and allow for real-time collection.
• CHI will be the first organisation in Ireland to deliver an EHR with this level of functionality.

Yes. Your child’s health information will be stored securely and protected by strict access controls. Only healthcare staff involved in your child’s care can view or update records. All access is monitored in line with data protection and confidentiality requirements.

MyChart is a safe and secure online patient portal that enables children, young people, and families to access specific parts of their CHI EHR using their own device (such as a mobile phone, tablet or PC). CHI will launch MyChart alongside the opening of the NCHI and the introduction of the new EHR system. More information on MyChart will be available closer to the opening of NCHI and don’t worry, CHI staff will be trained to help you to transition to this new way of care, we are all making this transition together.