Patients at UHK will be moved more quickly from the Emergency Department into beds, as a result of today's announcement of 108 new beds for the hospital.
The additional beds for UHK were announced by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
The announcement has been welcomed by Minister for Education and Kerry Fianna Fáil TD Norma Foley.
The announcement of 108 beds for UHK comes as part of a wider commitment to provide 580 new hospital beds across the south west.
UHK says it welcomes the planned allocation of the additional inpatient beds from 2025-2028 for the hospital.
It says this crucial expansion will enhance its ability to appropriately meet the growing demand for inpatient facilities, and ultimately improve patient care.
The hospital says there will be multiple benefits for patients in Kerry, including a more expedient transition from the Emergency Department to an inpatient bed, for patients deemed suitable for admission.
General Manager of UHK, Mary Fitzgerald, said the deficit in the hospital's bed capacity, particularly single isolation rooms, is a significant obstacle for UHK and its staff.
Ms Fitzgerald added once operational, these new beds will enable staff to deliver a much-enhanced inpatient service to the people of Kerry and beyond.
