‘Power and paint’ work has been completed but the addition of extra services at a planned primary care centre in Kilrush is unlikely, a local representative has lamented.
A review of current facilities, accommodation deficits and overall requirements as part of a business case for a new primary care centre in Kilrush by HSE officials has been delayed due to COVID-19, Chief Officer with Mid-West Community Healthcare, Maria Bridgeman has confirmed.
She detailed that the current centre has recently “undergone extensive refurbishment” including the provision of automatic doors at the main entrance, disability compliant doors, upgrades to reception, clinical rooms, corridors and staff canteen, the addition of a meeting room, replacement of flooring, painting and landscaping,
Presently, public health nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, dental, audiology and dietetics are provided at the current site, Ms Bridgeman stated. She said a visit with local councillors at the location will be held towards the end of this year.
“It is a perennial request about when we might have some forward movement. I know work was done, I see a lot of it is powder and paint which I understand needs to be done, I don’t see it delivering extra services which is the critical piece for people of West Clare,” Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) commented at a recent meeting of the HSE Regional Forum West.
He added, “It is close to a year when I last asked this question and the response is pretty much the same”.
Services are operating “very effectively,” Bridgeman replied. She noted that a number of services have been transferred to Kilrush with additional ones to follow.
