Pringle accuses HSE of Abandoning Dunfanaghy Health Clinic and its Patients

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Updated: 4th February 2016

Speaking at the a meeting on the future of Dunfanaghy health clinic last night, Independent TD Thomas Pringle accused the HSE of ‘outright abandoning the vitally important health service for residents in a very rural part of Donegal’.

‘It was clear from previous representations I made on behalf of the Health Centre and from the meeting last night that the HSE’s policy has consistently been to neglect the structural needs and funding needs of the centre in the hopes it would no longer remain open.’
‘The centre has called for funding to avail of a much needed upgrade and to avail of facilities such as wheelchair access, disability access and extra space to carry out its clinical functions. Without these upgrades, the standard of the clinic has been slipping despite a strong commitment from Dr. Paul Stewart and the staff working there to keep services running for those who need them.’
‘The HSE’s response to requests to address the situation, including my own up to now has been that they are prioritising more modern facilities in Creeslough and Falcarragh. As Dunfanaghy is one of the old dispensing type health centres built in the 1950s they haven’t bothered engaging with the service until the public meeting had been called. At this late stage in response to the public outcry the HSE sent an engineer to assess the health centre.
‘It’s clear from this what FG/Labour have attempted to do in the five years they’ve been in Government, which is to centralise health services including future primary care centres as a cost-saving exercise but at the expense of vulnerable residents across rural Ireland.
‘My concern is that if Dunfanaghy’s health clinic closes how are people expected to travel the distances required to attend more modern health centres such as in Creeslough and Falcarragh? What about elderly residents, chronically ill patients and people who can’t drive? These are the disadvantages facing people in very rural areas and FG/Labour have made these people worse off.’
‘Over 500 people attended the meeting last night which is a sure sign of the anger in rural communities in Donegal. The people of Dunfanaghy are determined to win this campaign’ concludes Pringle.
ENDS

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