Lucey slams lack of communication from SouthDoc as ‘a disgrace’

THE chairperson of Macroom Municipal District, Cllr Ted Lucey, has said that SouthDoc’s failure to respond to correspondence written on behalf of the municipal district is “a disgrace”.

Councillor Lucey made the comment at the most recent Macroom MD meeting after his Fine Gael colleague, councillor Eileen Lynch, enquired into whether or not the MD had received any communication from SouthDoc after councillors agreed in January that the MD should write to the service to seek clarity to changes it made to its service.

According to what SouthDoc director, Dr Audrey Russell, previously told The Corkman, changes made to the out-of-hours GP service on January 2 mean that only those without transport can currently get care in the town’s centre and this model will be reviewed at the end of March.

In response to Cllr Lynch’s enquiry, MD officer Marie O’Leary said that she has received no response from SouthDoc after writing to the service several times.

“I’ve written to two if not three different contacts that I’ve received since and nothing back from any of them, unfortunately,” Mrs O’Leary said.

At hearing this, Cllr Lucey aired his dissatisfaction with SouthDoc.

“I think it’s a disgrace, we’re lucky we have other doctors who are after coming in. I know that they’re not there overnight but they’re working evenings,” Cllr Lucey said.

“I suppose I understand local doctors are under huge pressure as well but to get a reply back is only a small thing to ask,” he said.

Mrs O’Leary said that she had last contacted SouthDoc via email on Thursday morning and would update councillors if she received a response.

“If something comes back I’ll bring it to you, by all means, but I’m not going to hold too much hope on it, unfortunately,” the MDO said.