The lack of a full time SouthDoc general practitioner service in Caherciveen and South Kerry/Iveragh, coupled with the delay in delivering a primary carec for the area, has been further highlighted by the night-time road closures at the Gleesk Viaduct, it has been pointed out.
Cllr Michael Cahill highlighted that there is no fully comprehensive healthcare service available in South Kerry at the best of times and if you contact SouthDoc in Caherciveen six of the seven nights of the week, you will be put through to Killarney.
“This plus the recent road closures at Kells viaduct have exacerbated the situation beyond all acceptable limits. I have received reports of patients requiring emergency care at night, with no SouthDoc open in Caherciveen and an ambulance not always available to travel to University Hospital Kerry in Tralee,” he said.
“As only emergency vehicles are allowed through, I have had reports of the distraught parents of a young child having to travel by car by the much longer route,” he added.
Cllr Cahill said it was totally unacceptable that the residents of all of South Kerry are left in such a vulnerable position, without easy access to medical care in an emergency.
“A full SouthDoc service must be put in place immediately, initially for at least the duration of the road closures and an additional ambulance should also be provided or the road must remain open until it is in place,” he said.
He added that the delivery of a primary care centre must now become the top priority of the Health Service Executive and it must be progressed.
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