DUBLIN-headquartered Affidea, a leading provider of advanced diagnostics, out-of-hospital services, and centres of excellence in cancer care and orthopaedics, plans to open a new medical facility in Belfast next year, creating up to 120 highly skilled jobs.
Located in the former B&Q retail warehouse at 38 Boucher Road, the proposed clinic will provide a focused range of medical services to complement, expand and enhance Affidea’s existing service offering in Northern Ireland, where it already has three clinics.
Affidea currently has 19 clinical facilities in Ireland, and is a leading independent provider of diagnostic imaging and out of hospital care.
Its three established clinical facilities in the north are Orthoderm, Hillsborough Private Medical Clinic and Northern MRI.
It believes the proposed clinic could help to address the significant NHS waiting lists in the north by providing medical services including minor injuries & illness, surgical capacity, endoscopy, and the region’s newest modern diagnostic imaging facility with capacity for up to 50,000 patients a year.
Barry Downes, chief executive of Affidea Ireland (www.affidea.ie), said: “We are excited to bring forward our plans for a new medical facility on the Boucher Road.
“We have long felt that there was a gap in the Northern Irish market for a modern, patient centric, digitally advanced medical facility.
“We are hoping to bring the best of what medical services we provide in other countries, such as advanced orthopaedic procedures from our Fortius clinic in GB and the expertise of our women’s health business in Switzerland to the people of Northern Ireland.”
He added: “A key focus for Affidea is the provision of increased access to world class medical care in modern clinical environments, and we hope that the people of Northern Ireland will soon benefit from the most modern patient centric facility of its kind.”
A proposal of application notice (PAN) for the proposed new facility has already been submitted to Belfast City Council.
Affidea Ireland is part of Affidea Group, Europe's largest provider of advanced diagnostics, out-of-hospital services and Centres of Excellence.
Founded in 1991, it operates 334 medical centres in 15 countries, serving more than 12 million patients annually.
