Lack of GP places in Kildare-South is a serious worry — Senator

The lack of GP places in Kildare-South is 'a serious worry.'

That's according to Labour Party Senator Mark Wall, who told the Seanad yesterday that he was concerned about the growing number of people contacting him regarding the availability of GP places in South Kildare. 

He claimed that he has been receiving more and more calls and emails from young families who have made Kildare South their home. 

The Athy politician spoke about the case of a young couple from Monasterevin who had recently moved to the area: "Their own doctor in Lucan, Dublin had recently retired, and they were no without a doctor, despite contacting all the doctors they could in the towns of South Kildare."

Senator Wall read their email into the record of the house, with the permission of the constituent.

File Pic: Senator Mark Wall, Labour Party.

He said: "My old Doctor in Lucan in Dublin has retired so we really need a local doctor.  I am only recently out of hospital in Naas following cellulitis in my right leg. I ended up having to contact K-Doc and pay €100 for a consultation and then referral to Naas Hospital and had to be admitted for a number of days.

"My consultant stressed to be had I not gone to K-Doc and tried to wait for any local doctor to ring me back I would have been in a more dangerous situation with the cellulitis.

The letter continued: "I am fearful that if anything further were to happen to either myself or my wife, we would be unable to get seen by a doctor. 

"Now that I have no Doctor, I will be unable to get a prescription renewed once my current one runs out next month."

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Senator Wall said that he was seeking a debate with the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, on the situation.

Speaking after raising the matter in the Seanad,  Senator Wall elaborated: "I am very much aware of the pressure all our GP practises are under here in Kildare South.

"This is not the first time I have raised this mater and as I have said previously, if we continue to build homes in Kildare without services then many more families will be facing the problem that this young couple are facing now."

He added: "The Seanad Leader has agreed to arranging a debate with the Minister for Health on this matter and Government and the Department of Health have got to work with GP representative bodies to come up with some solutions for the future of all those families contacting me."