Pearse Doherty TD: 'Concerning that there is still no replacement for Ardara GP'

Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty has called it concerning that there is still no replacement in place for the GP in Ardara.

The current Ardara GP Dr Mirielle Sweeney is resigning from the position after 29 years on the 22nd of this month.

Doherty said: “It is not acceptable that the GP in Ardara has had to go public with her concerns regarding her replacement. The GP had not been notified if a replacement had been found or even if interviews had been held despite reaching out to the HSE. 

"It was only when she went public with her concerns that the HSE provided an update saying it is currently in an active recruitment process. This isn't good enough. I have previously raised this issue through a Parliamentary Question and written to the HSE back in May.

“At that time, I was told that the HSE will be progressing with the recruitment of a replacement,as a priority. Despite this, there are still no clear details of the time frame. I have now written to the HSE again requesting clarification on where the recruitment process is at and outlining my concerns.

“Less than two weeks from now the current GP will have worked out her notice and the HSE has had ample time to prepare for this outcome.

“There has to be more transparency regarding matters like this, both with information provided to the resigning GP and the local community who are now, rightly, concerned for the future of the Ardara Health Centre.

“Staff working at the health centre will also rightly be concerned for their futures. We know of the challenges of recruiting GPs in rural areas, and this makes it all the more important that there is more communication from the HSE regarding the recruitment process.”