New era for private health care in Mid-West
Bon Secours Health System (BSHS) is delighted to announce that it has reached a key milestone in its development of the Mid-West region’s first large-scale private hospital with the granting of planning permission by Limerick City and County Council for the project at Ballysimon on Limerick’s east side.
Having passed this critical juncture, BSHS - the country’s largest private hospital operator - will now proceed with immediate effect to detail design stage, with tendering for a construction partner to commence shortly and work on the site in January of next year.
Built to the highest technical, accessibility and sustainability standards, the two year build programme will see the 150 inpatient and day-bed landmark facility just 600m from Junction 29 on the M7 motorway open in January 2025.
The €150 million facility will be the single biggest investment in medical care in Limerick in recent years, addressing a significant medical services need, with the Mid-West the only region in Ireland with no private hospital at this scale. The commitment will also see specialities currently delivered at Bon Secours Hospital Limerick at George’s Quay expanded, to include a medical assessment unit, cardiology and other medical services. These services, together with the patient centric approach and stunning design, will significantly enhance accessibility to world-class private healthcare in the Mid-West region.
The new capacity at the seven acre site, which is part of the wider Kirkland Development master-planned complex at Ballysimon, will result in a doubling of patient numbers per annum from existing levels at the Bon Secours George’s Quay site to 45,000 ‘patient discharges’. Employment levels will also double to 500 staff and consultants, with a significant recruitment programme to be undertaken, including targeting of medical care diaspora.
Bill Maher, Group CEO, BSHS said: “Earlier this year we launched our €300million investment strategy to 2025 and 50 percent of this will be committed to our new Limerick Hospital. That’s the significance of this investment for Bon Secours Health System in Ireland and our team in Limerick has made a compelling case from the outset for it. We’re looking forward now to delivering on this opportunity for the Mid-West and for Bon Secours to continue its high-quality care mission.”
Jason Kenny, CEO of Bon Secours Limerick, added: “This is a really exciting moment as we now have the green light now for a project that we have been building towards for three years. We have been on a great journey so far since we took over the former Barrington’s Hospital on George’s Quay and have doubled staff and patient numbers there. But due to site restrictions there, we are developing this state-of-the-art new hospital at Ballysimon in order to meet the needs of the region. Patients will receive the highest standards of medical care synonymous with the Bon Secours but also in a hospital setting that will set new standards in terms of comfort, accessibility and sustainability.”
Mr Kenny added: “We would not have arrived at this juncture without the support of our staff, medical partners such as our consultants and GPs and, indeed, patients across the Mid-West region. It’s been a collective approach from day one here and we’re going to continue working in that spirit of partnership towards a special moment in 2025 when we open a pioneering new private hospital for the Mid-West.”
Dr Siobhán Grimes, Clinical Director, Bon Secours Limerick, said: “This is a very exciting development for the doctors and patients of the Mid-West region. The new Bon Secours hospital will raise the quality and scope of medicine in the Limerick area to unprecedented levels. Clinicians across our region understand the need for greater access and innovation in medical care and this new state-of-the-art hospital on the Ballysimon Road will do exactly that.”
Dennis O'Sullivan, Group Director of Capital Projects, Bon Secours Health System, commented: “We're delighted to have received planning permission from Limerick City and County Council for this new hospital here in Ballysimon. Our team has put a huge amount of work to get this very important investment for Limerick, the Mid-West and Bons Secours across the line and planning permission is a huge moment in the journey. We’re now looking forward to commencing procurement to appoint a construction partner with a view to starting work in January of next year.”