THE CHIEF executive of a private hospital, Clane General Hospital in Co Kildare, expects the hospital to return to profit this year.
Séan Leyden has projected the facility returning to profit this year after confirming yesterday that the private hospital recorded a break-even in 2011.
This followed the hospital sustaining pre-tax losses of €777,955 in 2010, and this included non-cash depreciation costs of €553,865.
Mr Leyden attributed the return to break-even last year to cost-cutting and an increase in business at Clane hospital’s fertility clinic.
A note attached to Clane General Hospital’s accounts states that the hospital successfully curbed expenditure last year through operating efficiencies and through an agreed pay reduction within all staffing levels of the organisation.
Mr Leyden said the break-even position for last year resulted in the hospital recording earnings before interest, taxation and amortisation (EBITDA) of €773,000
Mr Leyden ascribed the loss in 2010 “to the sudden and unprecedented general downturn in the economy”.
He said this was reflected in the reduction in the demand for cosmetic surgery.
The sudden cancellation of the national treatment purchase fund was also a factor.
Clane General Hospital employs 110 staff and last year recorded revenues of €8 million.
The hospital was established in 1985, and is owned by 30 shareholders.
The hospital has annual staff costs of €4 million.
Clane General Hospital is one of three private centres in Ireland that fitted polly impact prothese (PIP) breast implants to 1,500 Irish women.
Mr Leyden said that 235 women were fitted with PIP implants at the hospital.
He said: “All Clane hospital patients have now had a scan and all defective implants replaced free of charge – a total of 26 patients required replacement of defective implants.”
He added: “The breast implants used by Clane hospital had CE certification and, contrary to some reports in the media and other sources, were not a cheaper implant.”
