Green light for new medical clinic in Laois that will create 20 jobs

Healthcare company Affidea has been granted planning permission for a new medical clinic in Portlaoise that will create 20 jobs. 

A planning application was lodged with Laois County Council to redevelop two units at Parkside Shopping Centre on the Abbeyleix Road. 

The diagnostic imaging facility will offer on-site MRI, CT, X-Ray, Dexa and Ultrasound scans and will have the capacity to scan over 30,000 patients per year. 

The application was granted with nine conditions attached. The planner's reported stated: "Having regard to its nature, extent and location, the zoning and planning history of the site, it  is considered that the proposed development would be compliant with the provisions of the  Laois County Development Plan 2021-2027 and the Portlaoise Local Area Plan 2018-2024  and with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area."

A spokesperson for the Affidea previously told Leinster Express/Laois Live that once opened the clinic will initially employ about 20 staff directly across clinical, administration and management roles. 

"We would like to see this increase to over 30 jobs with the potential development of a minor injury / local injury unit. The unit will have the ability to open 7 days per week and is conveniently located in the Parkside Shopping Centre which has ample parking and ease of access. The planning permission was submitted this week and in parallel our design teams are busy preparing tender documentation, and we hope to appoint local contractors in the coming week with a view to having the clinic open and operational later this year," they said. 

Affidea is the largest provider of advanced diagnostic imaging, out-of-hospital care and cancer care services across Europe, operating in 15 countries across 364 clinics, seeing and treating over 14 million patients per year. 

"Once the new clinic opens, we will be operating 24 MRI scanners across the country that are dedicated to outpatient diagnostics making us the provider with the most MRI outpatient capacity and access for patients," added the spokesperson. 

"The clinic will be open to all patients – some will be covered under private medical insurance and others may be covered under the GP Direct Access Scheme. Others will pay directly. We would also like to see the local hospitals engage with us and allow us to provide additional support & capacity to address their waiting lists. We already do this with a number of hospitals in other areas and are very successful.

"The second element of the clinic is the potential to fit it out as a minor injury unit / local injury unit. 

"In January this year, we opened a local injury unit for Naas General Hospital patients which is co-located in our Naas clinic. This has worked out really well as it is removing a cohort of patients from the emergency department that can be appropriately treated in a local injury unit. We are receiving very positive feedback from patients in the area on this service. To provide some context, in March, 85% of patients who attended our injury unit were seen and treated in less than 2 hours with the average time a patient spent in the injury unit being 76 minutes. Patients requiring follow up treatments or diagnostics are catered for and will have their follow up scan booked either prior to leaving or within 24 hours. Each day we hold appointments for our local injury unit patients across MRI, CT & Ultrasound as required. We feel that a service such as this would be welcomed in Portlaoise and are keen to engage with the relevant stakeholders in the HSE and local elected representatives to discuss this at the earliest opportunity."

The planning application by Affidea Diagnostics Ireland Ltd sought a change of use and material alterations of previously permitted office use at Units F8A and F9 at Parkside Shopping Centre and associated circulation corridor to form a new 662m2 amalgamated medical clinic including associated ancillary staff, patient, and administration areas.

The application also sought permission for minor external alterations including a new glazed external door and overhead external wall vents to the east elevation of Unit F9, external signage to the north elevation of Unit F9, and overhead external wall vents to the west (rear) elevation of Unit F8A. The development will be served by the existing car parking and new cycle parking for 20 bicycles.