KDOC should set up service in Athy

KILDARE South TD Mark Wall implored the HSE to consider out-of-hours GP services in south Kildare in a Parliamentary Question during a Dáil sitting.

Deputy Wall called for an additional service to be located in Kildare South, highlighting that it is desperately needed given the population increases in Kildare.

Currently the only out-of-hours GP service is the KDoc in the Vista Primary Care Centre in Naas.

Deputy Wall asked for the HSE to consider providing an afterhours GP service in Athy, Kildare. However, the HSE responded saying that a large number of GPs are provided through the KDCO in Naas. This means that it is not currently viable to provide a second location.

Deputy Wall said: “We have people in parts of Kildare South travelling nearly 40 minutes by car to access the KDoc in Naas. It can be well over an hour in more rural locations to get to the KDoc if they don’t have a car given the lack of accessible public transport across Kildare South. That can be an extremely long and stressful journey for a parent with a small child who is unwell.”

He added: “More and more people are living in Kildare South, and we can’t have a situation where there is only one afterhours GP service covering the entire county when there is a ready to go site that is being underutilised.”

“The HSE has said it is not viable to provide such a facility through the KDoc. This is deeply disappointing as we have a purpose-built health centre on the Dublin Road in Athy. This is prime location for another afterhours GP service.

“I am again calling on the HSE need to give serious consideration to setting up this service to meet the needs of an ever-growing population in Kildare South,” he concluded.

In response, the HSE said: “HSE IHA Kildare and West Wicklow are not adverse to looking at a service in south Kildare but it is GP resource dependent.

“Some GPs operate independently of the KDoc service and may provide services in another location.

“Patients whose GP is a member of KDoc must travel to Naas, Co. Kildare in order to obtain GP out of hours urgent services. This matter will remain under consideration by Primary Care in conjunction with the service provider.”