There have been calls for the HSE to take the necessary steps to restore Podiatry services for Inishowen at Carndonagh Community Hospital.
Donegal’s 13 podiatry clinics were paused after the outbreak of Covid-19 this year. Services were moved to Letterkenny University Hospital at the height of the pandemic.
Three clinics have since been restored in the county.
Plans are in plan to resume services for Inishowen at Buncrana Community Hospital once refurbishment works are carried out. However, County Councillor Albert Doherty has asked the HSE to consider Carndonagh Community Hospital as a central location.
“At Carndonagh Community Hospital there is already a vacant premises, used previously and available to to be used again for provision of this service,” Cllr Doherty told the Regional Health Forum West.
He said that staff numbers at the hospital and the Ard Aoibhinn Dementia Unit are impacted by the need to travel with patients to Buncrana for services.
Cllr Doherty told the meeting: “Sometimes there is a contention that further north you so, it sometimes impinges on the services available but I believe Carndonagh and the Community Hospital is central to the entire peninsula and I would plead that this service is considered for restoration at the Carndonagh Community Hospital as soon as possible.”
A response from the John Hayes, Chief Officer of the HSE CHO1 area said that an audit is being carried out on all podiatry locations in Donegal, which includes Carndonagh.
Mr Hayes said: “Decisions around service provision and return to work during this pandemic is therefore being carefully considered in regard to IPC standards, service user access and appropriate physical clinical environment. This process includes the Carndonagh Clinic.”