THE Mid-West’s out-of-hours GP service, Shannondoc, has confirmed that due to a continued shortage of doctors, it is no longer able to maintain existing out-of-hours service levels across all its centres. Shannondoc, a not-for-profit service delivered by GPs in the region, will introduce changes to its Killaloe, Kilrush and Ennistymon centres over the coming weeks. The Killaloe clinic will open during weekdays only on an as-needs basis, with a mobile doctor servicing the centre, while at weekends the operating hours will change from 9am to 9pm to 2pm to 6pm, with patients seen at Limerick, Ennis and Nenagh centres outside those hours. Shannondoc’s Kilrush and Ennistymon service will relocate to Miltown Malbay during weekdays, with the same operating hours applying. Both centres will be operational on Saturdays and Sundays up to 7pm, instead of 9pm as it is currently. Kilrush county councillor Ian Lynch has called for an immediate public meeting on the issue, noting that the 35-mile journey from …
Read More »Pink Ribbon raises €325,000 in five years
BREAST cancer volunteers in Killaloe and Ballina were tickled pink this week, following confirmation that an annual, local, charity walk has raised an impressive €325,000 for Action Breast Cancer since 2010. Last June, almost 900 people descended on the Shannonside towns of Killaloe and Ballina to take part in the fifth Killaloe Pink Ribbon Walk, to raise funds for Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society. It was the biggest event yet and was made all the more successful by the support received from the local community and businesses. Pink bra bunting hung from the historic bridge, sweets and drinks were handed out all along the route, and every house and shop had pink draped from their door or window. The local committee presented a cheque on Thursday evening to Joanne Murphy of the Irish Cancer Society for €52,098. A committee spokeswoman described the sum as “an astounding amount”, which was testament to the incredible fundraising efforts …
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