Robinson Community Hospital in Ballymoney, created by American millionaire, to get £2.1m extension in upgrade plans
A community hospital created by an ex-pat millionaire is to benefit from a £2.1m extension.
Robinson Community Hospital in Ballymoney, which specialises in physiotherapy and rehabilitation as well as palliative care, will get a multi-disciplinary room, staff base and a new plant room in the upgrade.
The project will also increase the number of en-suite bedrooms within the 21-bed hospital from two to seven, providing an enhanced level of privacy and dignity for service users.
The extension will be built according to dementia-friendly design principles, and will also see the creation of a dedicated rehabilitation space aiding in physiotherapy care.
Constructed around 90 years ago, the hospital exists thanks to a donation from ex-pat millionaire Samuel Robinson.
Originally from the Ballymoney area, he emigrated to the United States in the 1880s to become a grocer, eventually making his fortune as one of the brains behind country-spanning supermarket chain American Stores.
Always keeping fond memories of his County Antrim boyhood, in 1933 he paid for the Robinson Memorial Hospital to be built in memory of his late parents.
He made several more donations to the facility before his death in 1958.
As the local NHS Trust’s community care director, Diane Spence, explained, while the hospital building is still in good condition, some of the facilities inside it are outdated and not in keeping with modern day methods of care.
“We are delighted to receive this very generous donation to be able to undertake this extension project which will undoubtedly improve patient experience,” she said.
“This investment will also secure the future of the hospital and signals our long-term commitment to our staff.
"It will ensure that the Robinson Hospital continues to play a vital role in our wider Trust network and community care model.”
The NHS official added that the hospital’s new rehab space will boost capacity for physiotherapy, helping patients recover and maximise their independence.
“This is a really good news story for our community and we are looking forward to seeing the project progress,” she said.
The refurbishment project has been made possible thanks to a charitable donation from the Robinson Trust.
Its chair, David Robinson, said: “The trustees were delighted that the income from the [Samuel Robinson] endowment is being used to fund this truly excellent project.”