Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

328. To ask the Minister for Health when out-of-hours general practitioner services will resume at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30954/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, certain SouthDoc GP out-of-hours treatment centres were closed by the Board of Directors of SouthDoc to help limit the possible spread of Covid-19. All treatment centres in County Kerry have since reopened, the last centre to reopen being the Listowel treatment centre.

Since Monday 5th July, Listowel related calls to SouthDoc are being processed through the Listowel treatment centre where they are being clinically assessed by an onsite doctor for each out-of-hours session seven days a week. Prior to that date patients were seen at the centre on a scheduled appointment basis. The type and nature of treatment is decided in the normal way based on the clinical needs of each patient.

The Board of Directors of SouthDoc will continue to monitor the demand for the service and should there be an increase in the patients accessing the service they may review the current level of service to ensure the appropriate service is available.