Beacon Medical Group

Beacon Medical Group (also known as BMG) is a private healthcare company based in Sandyford, Dublin, Ireland. BMG was founded in 2002 by cardiothoracic surgeon Professor Mark Redmond, Michael Cullen, and John Delaney.[1][2]

Beacon Medical Campus

BMG developed the Beacon Medical Campus,[3] which includes:

• Beacon CARE Facility
• Beacon Consultants Clinic
• Beacon Hospital
• Beacon Pain Clinic
• Beacon Pharmacy
• Beacon Renal (established in 2004, three renal dialysis clinics in Drogheda, Tallaght and Sandyford)
• Beacon Homecare
• Beacon Face and Dermatology
• Irish Maternal Fetal Foundation
• UCD Beacon Academy
• Weight Motivation Clinics
• Wellington Eye Clinic

History

BMG was formed 2002 as a co-location venture between public and private hospitals. The Group won public tenders to build co-located private hospitals on the grounds of Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, Cork University Hospital, and University Hospital Limerick.[4][5][1] The Limerick facility was to be built by Sisk Group, while the Cork and Dublin hospitals were to be built by Ascon-Rohcon. BMG were to be owners and developers, while UPMC would manage and operate the hospitals.[6][7] The co-location projects were expected to cost over €850m, providing approximately 1,000 new beds. The new hospitals would provide almost 6,000 full-time, permanent jobs and a further 4,600 construction jobs.[8]

BMG and Landmark Developments announced in 2008 plans to develop a 127-160 bed private combined maternity and children's hospital beside Beacon Hospital at a cost of approximately €160 million. The hospital was planned to provide paediatric, obstetric, and gynaecology services, delivering 3,000-5,000 babies per year.[9][10][11][6] The Group expected to agree a service-level agreement with the Health Service Executive to allow access to the hospital by public patients.[11] Planning permission was granted in 2010. BMG expected the hospital to employ 450 people directly, with a further 650 ancillary hospital jobs, and 550 construction jobs.[12] Development of the hospital was halted by a blanket ban on development in the area, which was imposed by Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council.[10]

Co-location projects were stalled by Vhi Healthcare's refusal to provide cover in the new hospitals. In April 2011, the contracts for the projects expired.[13][14]

Beacon campus has more than 30 active research projects. From 2015 to 2022 more than 2'100 medical students have received training at the UCD Beacon Academy.[15]

References

1. "NovaUCD Entrepreneurs Live! Seminar Series - Michael Cullen, CEO, Beacon Medical Group". Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
2. "Beacon care to be 'exemplary' - Independent.ie". independent.ie. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
3. "BMG". beaconmedicalgroup.ie. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
4. "Limerick gets massive job boost - Limerick Leader". Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
5. "Beacon Medical Group confirms redundancies". rte.ie. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
6. "Home". williamfry.ie. Retrieved 4 December 2016.^[permanent dead link‍]
7. "UPMC to Manage Independent Hospital in Dublin, Ireland". upmc.com. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
8. "Six redundancies at Beacon Medical Group". imt.ie. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
9. "New private hospital for women and children aims at 2010 start - Independent.ie". independent.ie. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
10. "Appeal to council to allow €160m maternity hospital - Independent.ie". independent.ie. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
11. "Pregnancy Clinic". Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
12. "New private women's and children's hospital for Dublin - the Medical Independent". Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
13. "VHI 'could be forced' to deal with co-location". irishexaminer.com. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
14. "No place to go for co-location - the Medical Independent". Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
15. Burke-Kennedy, Eoin (4 July 2022). "Beacon Hospital signals further expansion with acquisition of two adjacent sites". Irish Times. Retrieved 15 November 2022.