Blackrock Health is opening a specialist breast check clinic as part of its Women’s Health Centre in Dublin, offering a one-stop triple assessment pathway that combines specialist consultation, breast imaging and biopsy. The model aims to deliver most results within a single day, shortening the interval between first contact and diagnosis.

Patients can expect an initial assessment within a week, with surgery following within weeks or months depending on the individual treatment plan.

Blackrock Health is a Dublin-based private hospital group owned by the Larry Goodman Trust, with clinics in Dublin, Galway and Limerick.

Whelan said the group is midway through a €500 million investment programme across its Dublin, Galway and Limerick sites. Announced in 2024, the programme is set to add 187 beds, 14 operating theatres, six cardiac cath labs and a cancer centre over five years.

Once complete, the group is expected to operate 808 beds, 36 operating theatres and ten cardiac cath labs, with the cancer centre based at Blackrock Clinic.

The group has also just opened a new cath lab in Galway, where the programme includes a new cardiac cath lab and a cardiac CT scanner. Galway Clinic’s share of the programme also adds 30 inpatient beds and five operating theatres.

Whelan also discussed the competitive staffing market, an issue that sits against the programme’s plan to create up to 1,000 jobs across Dublin and Galway, taking the group’s workforce to 4,000.

The structural driver is the one-stop triple assessment model, which compresses consultation, imaging and biopsy into a single visit to speed diagnosis ahead of treatment planning.

For the sector, the interview confirms that Irish private hospital groups are pairing dedicated diagnostic pathways with multi-site capital programmes to compete on speed of access.

Source: podcastrex.com / irishtimes.com / healthmanager.ie / imt.ie