Buttevant Medical Centre named best rural practice
PRINCIPAL GP DR MICHAEL KENNEDY SAYS IT IS AN ‘ENORMOUS PRIVILEGE’ TO WORK IN RURAL AREA
A NORTH Cork medical practice has been named ‘ best rural practice of the year’ by an industry recognised medical website. The GPBuddy.ie National GP award recognises practices in a rural region that demonstrates excellence in patient care – for isolated patients in particular.
Dr Michael Kennedy is the principal GP at Buttevant Medical Centre and works alongside Dr Elizabeth Brosnan, Practice Nurse Mary Riordan and Practice Administrators, Liz Hynes and Eileen Palmer.
Formerly known as The Old School House Surgery, The Buttevant Medical Centre was originally established in 1967 by Dr Finbarr Kennedy and Practice Nurse Manager, Mary Kennedy. In 1998, together with their son, Dr Michael Kennedy, they bought the old boys national school and converted it into what it is today – a high-quality modern medical centre.
Dr Kennedy said that working as a rural GP is an “enormous privilege” noting that this practice enabled them to create strong relationships with their patients while becoming part of a welcoming community.
Dr Kennedy was described as a superb trainer and a constant source of advice. Dr Brosnan was noted for her advocacy on behalf of her patients, stopping at nothing to achieve the best care for them. Nurse Mary Riordan is a great source of knowledge, while Eileen and Liz at reception were noted to be the backbone of the practice, “running a tight ship whilst protecting the doctors and the patients at the same time”.
The awards, held in Dublin, were the third national GP Buddy.ie National GP Awards and were hosted by GPBuddy. ie, an online resource for GPs, in association with Affidea.
Meanwhile, Dr Diarmuid Quinlan from the Woodview Medical Centre in Glanmire received an award for ‘Safety in Practice’ in recognition of his work in Stroke Prevention screening.
Dr Quinlan and Dr Kennedy were among more than 13 healthcare professionals who were presented with awards from GPBuddy.ie across 11 categories by television personality, Dr Pixie McKenna.
Now in its third year, the annual GPBuddy.ie National GP Awards recognise excellence, innovation and collaboration amongst GPs, hospitals and healthcare professionals all over Ireland.
This year, over 200 nominations were received from all over the country across all 11 categories, from both healthcare professionals and patients.