THE DEXA scan service, essential for monitoring bone health but suspended at University Hospital Kerry due to a lack of staff, is to resume for the benefit of the massive backlog of Kerry patients that have been on a waiting list.
Kerry TD John Brassil said he held discussions with hospital management today and he has been given assurances that the service will be made available.
“Having a machine that is worth so much money just sitting idle in University Hospital Kerry makes no sense. Today’s announcement is to be welcomed,” he said.
The €110,000 scanner was bought by the Friends of Kerry General Hospital in 2014 but it had been lying idle for two years, as there were no radiographers to operate it.
An increasing shortage of radiographers resulted in the suspension of the service in late 2017.
Deputy Brassil credited Cllr Mikey Sheehy who works in Brassil’s office for continually raising this issue.
“Mikey sits on the Southern Health Forum and has been fighting this case with me for some time now. This news is well overdue and I would like to see UHK move to clear the existing waiting list as soon as possible,” he said.
Deputy Brassil, Fianna Fail’s junior spokesperson on Primary Care, Community Health Services will be advocating for a health-related ministerial position at the cabinet table should his party lead the next government.
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