New €4.5 million diagnostic imaging centre officially opened in Castlebar

One of the country's leading diagnostic imaging service providers has officially opened a €4.5 million diagnostic imaging centre in Castlebar, with the creation of eleven jobs. Located at Barcastle Retail Park, the facility will provide MRI, CT, ultrasound and X-ray services under one roof. The centre will expand access to diagnostic imaging in Mayo, reducing the need for patients to travel to Galway and elsewhere for routine appointments while supporting earlier diagnosis and clinical decision-making. The facility is staffed by experienced radiographers and a patient administration team. Scans are reported by Ireland-based, RCSI-accredited consultant radiologists. The number of people employed at the centre is expected to rise to 20 in the coming years. Alliance Medical is one of Europe's leading providers of outsourced diagnostic imaging services. The company is headquartered in Raheen, County Limerick, and operates more than 40 clinical locations across Ireland and Northern Ireland. This includes operations in Merlin Park University Hospital, University Hospital Galway, Portiuncula University Hospital and Kingsbridge Private Hospital, Sligo. Castlebar-based TD Alan Dillon performed the official opening of its Mayo facility, which was attended by Achill native Helen Calvey, Strategic Growth Director with Alliance Medical. Minister Dillon described the official opening as 'a very positive day for Castlebar and Mayo'. 'For patients and families, the benefits are practical and important: less travel, better local access to scans and the potential to receive vital medical answers sooner,' he said. The Fine Gael TD said travelling outside Mayo for an appointment can add more stress at 'an already worrying time' for patients. He said the new centre could alleviate pressure on HSE services, result in shorter waiting times and better care across Mayo. Founded in the UK in 1989, Alliance Medical carries out more than five million procedures annually worldwide. The company employs more than 500 people in Ireland and about 4,500 staff internationally.