Minister for Health to officially opens Donegal Town Primary Care Centre this afternoon

The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, TD., will officially open Donegal Town Primary Care Centre this afternoon.

The centre is part of the HSE Enhanced Community Care programme which aims to offer services within the community.

Donegal Town Primary Care Centre has been operational since June 2022 and offers a number of services to the community including Podiatry, Dietetics, OT, Physiotherapy, Social Work and Speech and Language Therapy Services are all offered at the centre under the Community Healthcare Network.

Other services available at the centre include a local GP practice, Psychology, Public Health Nursing, Community Intervention Team (Nursing), Dental, Community Medical Doctors, Children’s Disability Network Team, Home Support Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), Adult Mental Health Services, Tusla, National Ambulance Service and National Counselling Service are also available at Donegal Town Primary Care Centre.

The centre also provides bookable accommodation to other services such as National Diabetic Retina Eye Screening Service, La Leche League, CHIME service and Community Paediatrics from local hospitals. In addition, Health and Wellbeing, the Errigal Chronic Disease Hub and the Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons (ICPOP) services are offered on a visiting basis within the Donegal Town Primary Care Centre.

Minister Donnelly will meet with service users, HSE management and staff at the opening. He will also take the opportunity to meet with Gemma McLoone and Peader McDail from Ascain.

Ascain provide a person centred training and support service, promoting recovery and positive mental health. Peadar is the Art Trainer who worked with Mental Health Service users at the centre to provide artwork for the Donegal Town Primary Care Centre.

Speaking in advance of the opening Minister Donnelly said he was delighted to be here in Donegal to officially open Donegal Town Primary Care Centre, representing an investment of €26 million in community based health services.
"ECC (Enhanced Community Care) is a huge investment in community healthcare services, aiming to provide more services closer to people’s homes, and provide extra services for older people, or people who live with long-term health conditions.”

Head of Service Primary Care Mandy Doyle added that it is a wonderful occasion for Donegal to have the Minister for Health here today to open Donegal Town Primary Care Centre, which offers a variety of services locally in one place and is an excellent example of the Enhanced Community Care programme in action. People can access the services they need while staying out of the acute hospital,” she said.