‘Critically important’ to maintain Feakle GP

Arising from the retirement of the local GP in Feakle, calls have been made to maintain the rural service.
Concern was raised by County Councillor Pat Hayes, who said it was “critically important to maintain the GP service in Feakle. We don’t want to lose another rural service out of the community”.
In a statement issued to The Clare Champion, the HSE has said it advertised the GMS post in Feakle in May 2012 and interviews were held on June 12 last.
“A candidate is currently being processed for appointment to the post,” a HSE spokesperson confirmed.
The HSE also said it was planning for another GP to take over this position in Feakle.
Since the retirement of the local GP a locum service has not been provided in Feakle and patients of this GP are being referred to Dr Manus Maguire at Scariff Medical Centre.
When asked when it was likely a new GP would start, the HSE commented, “When all aspects of this process are completed, the candidate will be offered the post and will advise the HSE of the date they will commence duty.”
Speaking about the issue, Councillor Hayes said he was happy the HSE had advertised the position and are trying to find a doctor for the area.
“This is a vast area that covers from Killanena, Flagmount to Feakle and the rural areas of the surrounding parishes. There was always a GP service in Feakle and I would hope that a young or new doctor would come and try to continue the service here and provide a surgery locally.
It is a very important service and we need to fight for this as a community and try to build on it and facilitate a new surgery,” he said.
Councillor Hayes added that he was concerned about older people having to travel to Scariff, Gort or Tulla to see a GP and worried that if a new appointee was not found soon that locals would change doctors and the need for a GP service in the area would be reduced.
“Presumably, older people will have to travel Scariff, Tulla and Gort and we need to continue that key service.
“ I’ve been in contact with the HSE on this and I am concerned they facilitate the provision of a GP in Feakle sooner rather than later, there is a risk that ­people will move to a new doctor and then the need would no longer be there.
“So there is urgency there that every effort be made to sustain a new doctor and the community would be anxious to maintain that,” he said.
Should a candidate not be obtained, the HSE said the alternative would be that it “would have to review the situation to ensure there was adequate GP services available in the area within a reasonable distance”.