Service reduction at UHK a major concern

SIR,

A recent memo from University Hospital Kerry to all General Practitioners in the county informs them and their patients that there is a reduction in the level of x-ray and ultra sound services in the hospital as and from Monday of this week, October 14.

The current un-scheduled ‘walk-in chest x-ray’ is changed to a Prioritised Scheduled Service. GPs have been told to send routine x-ray referrals to Radiology Appointments and urgent referrals requiring immediate x-ray are being referred through the Emergency Department.

Ultrasound services are no longer being accommodated after 5pm. Routine ultrasound referrals are to be submitted via Healthlink and will be scheduled on clinical priority.

Urgent ultrasound referrals are to be submitted via the agreed pathways of Out Patients Department and the Emergency Department.

University Hospital Kerry acknowledges that this is undoubtedly a reduction in services and will mean that patients will have to wait longer for services.

I hope to raise the concerns of the doctors and their patients at an upcoming meeting of the Health Forum South as it is most regrettable that lack of funding in these areas of vital healthcare is to impact on the people of Kerry and that there is no positive indication of when the finance will become available to allow these regressive actions to be reversed, Sincerely,

Michael Gleeson [Cllr] Killarney