The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Bons set for State use in COVID fight
URGENT non-Coronavirus medical cases in Kerry are expected to be transferred to the Bon Secours Hospital in Tralee should the COVID-19 crisis put University Hospital Kerry under too much pressure.
The HSE and Department of Health have reached an agreement with private healthcare providers to use their facilities for public patients during the crisis.
The private facilities will effectively become public hospitals for the duration of the crisis and will operate on a non profit basis.
It is understood that, initially, private facilities including the Bon Secours in Tralee will not be used to treat COVID-19 cases.
They will instead be used to deal with cases of more typical illnesses in an effort to keep regular medical services operational while the health service works to contain and overcome COVID-19.
A senior source familiar with the situation in Kerry said that steps have already been taken at Bon Secours Tralee to ensure its facilities will be ready when they are needed by the HSE.
Meanwhile University Hospital Kerry is continuing to take steps to ensure normal treatments can continue during the Coronavirus crisis.
All elective surgeries at UHK have been cancelled since March 10 – with all out-patient appointments cancelled this week – but services such as Chemotherapy continue to operate.
Measures have been introduced to protect patients using these services including, the temporary relocation of some facilities.