Send flowers to Beacon Hospital, Sandyford

Beacon Hospital is a privately owned teaching hospital in the Sandyford district on the south side of Dublin. It was officially opened on 25 October 2006, and it has a nine-storey building with 183 patient beds and about 1,100 staff. The hospital provides teaching for University College Dublin. If a friend or relative is staying at Beacon, flowers can be a kind gesture, but the rules on the wards are the first thing to check.

Check with the ward

Ring the hospital and ask to be put through to the ward where the patient is staying. Ask whether flowers are accepted, whether a delivery can be left at the nurses' station and whether a particular type of flower is better avoided. Some areas, such as intensive care, do not take flowers. If you cannot reach anyone, send a card or wait until the patient is home. The ward staff are the best source of information because rules change.

Details for the order

Give the patient's full name, the ward or room number and the name of the hospital. Include the date you want the flowers delivered and a short card message. If the patient is due to leave the hospital soon, you may want to send flowers to the home instead. A small arrangement is easier to keep on a bedside locker than a large vase.

Where Beacon is

Beacon is in Sandyford, in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area, and the Luas Green Line serves the district with stops at Sandyford and nearby. The Irish Management Institute and the Irish Mint are also in the Sandyford area. Visitors often arrive by Luas or car. Because of the busy business district around the hospital, allow extra time on weekdays at rush hour if you plan to deliver a gift in person.

A hospital with a history

The hospital's affiliation with Johns Hopkins Medicine International began in May 2006, and over the following years it was managed by US groups before coming under Irish ownership in 2014. In 2022 the management presented proposals for a redevelopment that would expand bed capacity by 40 per cent, and in 2024 the hospital was sold to Macquarie Asset Management. This is background rather than anything you need to know to send a gift, but it shows a hospital that is growing and changing.

Choosing the right flowers

Gentle scents and soft colours are a good choice for hospital rooms. Heavily scented lilies and strongly perfumed stems can be overwhelming in a small space. A mixed bunch of seasonal flowers in a low container is practical. If the patient has allergies, ask the family and tell the florist. For a baby or a maternity patient, pastel colours are traditional.

Other ways to show support

A card, a book or a puzzle can be sent to the room. If the patient is staying for a long time, think about a plant or a small gift they can take home. For the family, a message offering help with meals or lifts is often more welcome than a gift. Remember the people who are caring for the patient as well.

Sending flowers after discharge

When the patient goes home, flowers are easy to receive and enjoy. Choose a date a few days after discharge, when the patient has settled in. Send to the home address with a card, and mention that you hope to visit soon.

Timing the delivery

Mornings on the wards are taken up with rounds, tests and meals, so flowers tend to be better received in the afternoon. Mention the time you prefer in the order notes, and bear in mind that a patient may be in theatre or having a scan on the day. If the stay is short and planned, such as a day procedure, a bouquet at home the following day is usually the better plan. For longer stays, ring the ward again a day or two before the delivery date, as the patient may have moved room.

Did you know? Beacon Hospital won the 2008 Irish Healthcare Innovation Award.