Dublin hospitals to begin talks on possible merger

BEAUMONT AND James Connolly Memorial hospitals in Dublin are to begin talks that may result in a merger, it emerged yesterday.

The hospitals are also exploring the feasibility of setting up an academic medical centre with the Royal College of Surgeons.

If they are merged, the hospital will be run over the two existing sites. Beaumont, a voluntary hospital, is located some six kilometres north of Dublin city centre, while the Health Service Executive-run James Connolly Memorial Hospital is in Blanchardstown.

The move may mean sharing a management structure and moving some medical services. There would be considerable consultation, a Beaumont spokesman said.

Preliminary talks have taken place between all three organisations and a partnership agreement was signed in June to confirm their commitment to setting up the academic medical centre.

The agreement is to be presented to the HSE board before the end of the year. Talks are at a “very early stage” and will take place over the next year or two, the Beaumont spokesman said.

Nurses are cautious about the proposals, do not know the implications and are not represented in talks, Eddie Matthews of the Irish Nurses Organisation said.