On June 8th Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, TD opened Ireland’s largest IVF clinic, the Sims Institute of Medical Science. The Clinic relocated to a state of the art IVF and Reproductive Medicine centre located in a dedicated 25000 sq ft building in Clonskeagh Dublin.
At the launch, Dr Tony Walsh, Founder and Medical Director of Sims said, “We are delighted to announce that the Sims Institute is to take on 20 new employees over the next 12-18 months to meet demand from patients from Ireland and abroad for fertility testing and treatment. Sims IVF currently employs 45 people.”
The new Sims Institute, now located in Clonskeagh, allows the Sims Institute to provide fertility testing, treatment and support for those who have difficulty conceiving a child. Sims IVF attracts a significant number of patients from the UK and Europe, owing to its international reputation as an innovative and successful IVF clinic.
Minister Reilly said, “I am very much aware of the silent suffering endured by the one in six couples affected by infertility problems. It is important that medical professionalism be tempered with empathy; a doctor must stop, sit and listen to patients’ needs. The Sims IVF Mind / Body programme helps couples cope with the emotional difficulty when dealing with one of the greatest stresses in life – infertility. The new Sims Institute for Reproductive Medicine combines state of the art facilities with the priceless gift of attention.”
The new facilities include a private endoscopy suite, three dedicated theatres for reproductive surgery, five-bed ultra sound suite to minimise waiting times, and ten private recovery rooms—and a highly qualified team of medical professionals.
The Sims Institute has two specialist laboratories on site in the new facility. One is an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) laboratory designed for reproductive diagnostics and treatment, where Sims scientists complete all procedures relating to human embryology. This laboratory—the largest of its kind in Ireland—meets ISO9001 fully and exceeds the latest European regulations. The second laboratory is for advanced blood testing to identify infertility issues.
The on-site laboratory team at SIMS continues to lead in the development of fertility testing for individuals with complex fertility challenges. SIMS was the first Irish fertility centre to deploy a number of innovative fertility tests, some of which remain otherwise unavailable in Ireland. These testing and treatment facilities could mean the difference between having a baby or not succeeding. In fact, some 45% of current referrals to SIMS are for patients who have undergone failed treatment elsewhere.
SIMS is also expanding its donor egg programme which is unique in Europe and allows patients who need the benefit of donor eggs to access this treatment without having to travel any further than Dublin. This high-profile programme draws patients to Ireland from the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.
As part of this new development, SIMS is introducing an affordable “His and Hers” testing to help couples to identify any problems, if conceiving a baby is taking longer than anticipated. One in six couples suffers from some form of fertility issue, and this programme also provides support with the awareness of the emotional and psychological impact of the infertility experience.
A modern teaching facility is included in SIMS new facility, where staff, other consultants, and medical students from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), attend lectures covering the full spectrum of reproductive science. SIMS is not only a centre for treatment; it is also a centre of learning which underpins the organisation’s commitment to patient care and its reputation as leaders in reproductive medicine in Ireland. In the two most recent academic terms, SIMS faculty have authored over 30 manuscripts published in peer-review medical journals, the preeminent scholarly output in the field of reproductive biology in Ireland in recent years.
To support the current investment and future international expansion, SIMS intends to recruit an additional 20 clinical staff over the next 12-18 months.