Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould has welcomed the news that the successful candidate selected to return GP services to Blarney will be confirmed this week.
It comes as a Parliamentary Question (PQ) was submitted by Deputy Gould asking if a successful candidate has been chosen and when the surgery will reopen.
Head of Service of Primary Care at Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) Priscilla Lynch said eligible applicants were invited to interview on February 23 and March 1 and that the results of those interviews will be issued this week.
“Thereafter, the HSE will liaise with the first-placed GP on the panel of successful GP candidates to commence the contracting stage.
“GMS Cardholders have been advised that upon the conclusion of the recruitment process, including the contracting stage, the HSE will write to them again, to advise them of the permanent arrangements for the transfer of their GP service to the incoming GMS GP,” she said.
Deputy Gould welcomed the news and said it is “absolutely” brilliant for those in Blarney who have been forced to use an interim service.
It will mean families can now return to having one GP because some are currently split between practices.
“I am still deeply disappointed that the HSE were so willing to allow this practice to close and the position was not advertised until myself, and the local community, launched a campaign to highlight the issue. The reopening of the practice is a win for the community in Blarney.
“I spoke last week about problems in the ambulance service and we see again issues in the CUH and Mercy emergency departments. The reality is that people need local, accessible GP service because it is a cog in the wheel that means medical problems can be caught early and escalation avoided.
“I would hope that the HSE will engage with all doctors who applied for the service and ensure that there is space in the system for them. We need more GPs right across the board.”
