PRIVATE healthcare group Kingsbridge (KHG) is expanding its patient services and facilities in Belfast and Derry following a multi-million pound funding injection from Santander UK.
It will include the provision of a private intensive care unit and private cardiac surgery services – both firsts for Northern Ireland
KHG, which is the only private operator with hospitals in both Northern Ireland and the Republic, is expanding its operations in Belfast and Ballykelly.
It will mean a significant increase in bed and theatre capacity, as well as expansion of facilities and services, including the provision of Northern Ireland’s first private intensive care unit and private cardiac surgery services.
At its Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Belfast, a £6m expansion project is under way to increase bed capacity by a third and to add a new ward, operating theatre and endoscopy suite.
The upgrade will also enable the hospital to provide the north’s first private intensive care unit and private cardiac surgery services.
The upgrade is anticipated to be complete in early 2023 and builds on a decade of development work at the hospital, which currently has 22 in-patient beds, five day-beds and three operating theatres.
At Kingsbridge Private Hospital North West, which KHG acquired in June, a £3m redevelopment project, due for completion in mid-2022, is under way to modernise wards and facilities and develop new out-patient services and a laminar flow theatre.
Jeremy Macartney, group finance director at Kingsbridge Healthcare Group, said: “Santander UK’s support enables us to build on our existing services while delivering a wide range of specialisms that will significantly enhance choice for patients.
“We are committed to working in partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive to address waiting lists and this funding from Santander UK enables us to provide much needed bed and theatre capacity to help tackle this.”
Mark Robinson, relationship director at Santander UK, said: “We are pleased to support Kingsbridge Healthcare Group’s important work to expand its capacity to provide private healthcare to patients in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. We look forward to working with the Kingsbridge team over the years to come.”
