Minister Harris Officially Opens New Affidea Medical Scanning Centre in Letterkenny
“Colossal improvement in terms of diagnostics”
Dublin, 22nd July 2016: Affidea, Ireland’s leading independent diagnostic imaging provider, formerly known as Euromedic, opened a new medical scanning facility in Letterkenny yesterday evening to serve the people of Donegal and surrounding areas. Minister for Health, Mr Simon Harris TD attended the unveiling at Affidea’s state-of-the-art clinic.
Patients who want to arrange a private scan in the Republic of Ireland currently face a two hour drive to Sligo. The company is investing €2m in opening the Letterkenny clinic, as part of an overall €15m investment in the Irish healthcare sector.
Ten new jobs have been created as a result, with all positions held by local employees, many of which have returned home to fulfil the positions from outside Ireland including London, Scotland and Australia.
The multi-modality scanning centre is located on Scally Place off Pearse Road in Letterkenny. It will serve as a primary care diagnostic scanning facility, offering MRI, Ultrasound and X-ray. Affidea Letterkenny is equipped with state of the art technology including the High Specification Philips Ingenia Wide Bore MRI Scanner, providing the highest quality scans and a much improved patient experience, particularly for patients who experience claustrophobia or those who find it difficult to tolerate the noise of older scanners.
Affidea clinics are accredited with the internationally recognised standard in ambulatory care from the Joint Commission International (JCI) and will operate the new clinic in Letterkenny to the same exacting standards while undergoing the accreditation process.
Speaking at the event, Minister for Health , Simon Harris, TD stated: “I’m very pleased to be in Letterkenny for the official launch of Affidea Letterkenny. Today is a really good news day in terms of collaboration between the Irish public health service and industry. This is a clinic that is going to improve access to diagnostic equipment to patients in Letterkenny be you a public patient, or a private patient. Whoever you are, whatever your background, you now have a greater chance of accessing in a quicker manner, diagnostic equipment and tests that can save your life. That’s something I’m very happy to be here in Letterkenny to support.
Affidea is going to see 1,200 ultrasounds delivered through an initiative in partnership with ourselves per month, and that is a colossal improvement in terms of the access to diagnostics.
It’s particularly encouraging to speak to people here who have had an opportunity to move back to Letterkenny for employment. Some from Dublin where they’ve been based for years, because there is now work and job opportunities here in this clinic. Others have come from even further afield- Australia and Canada.”
Keith McElchar, Clinical Specialist Sonographer, who returned from Australia to take a position at the clinic, said: “Having lived in Australia for the past five years I was planning to move home. However, it is difficult to find a position in my field in Donegal. I’m delighted to have secured employment as Clinical Specialist Sonographer of Affidea Letterkenny, just twenty minutes from my family home.”
Affidea has recently rebranded from Euromedic, to ensure a uniform identity across Europe, and to aid European growth and support the organisations aggressive global expansion plans. Affidea entered the Irish market in March 2007 through the acquisition of MRI Ireland. Over the past eight years, six further locations have been added to the network in Ireland with more centres expected nationwide over the coming months.