Editorial: Our vital services must not be disrupted - Kilkenny People

Concerns are growing that ill and vulnerable people in Kilkenny are being left without adequate medical services if Caredoc staff were to withdraw services as part of a workplace relations dispute.

The out-of-hours doctor service for Carlow and Kilkenny has resorted to intermittent strike action from this week into the new year. It’s over a continued failure to implement a Workplace Relations Commission pay agreement — an 8% pay rise promised more than two years ago.

The busy GP service in Kilkenny is at serious risk of being severely disrupted. Senator Patricia Stephenson is correct in pointing out that this should never have been allowed to reach crisis point.

Caredoc staff in Carlow and Kilkenny provide an essential frontline service for families across both counties every evening, night and weekend.
READ MORE KILKENNY VIEWS AND OPINION HERE

Make no mistake, this is the busiest time of year for the work they do. It is compounded by the fact that our local hospital, St Luke’s, is under fierce pressure, coping with high seasonal demand and a flu surge.

Mortuary services
Meanwhile, concerns remain over the provision of specialised mortuary services for this region going forward.

Each year, approximately 700 post-mortems are carried out at UHW on behalf of the Coroner’s Service – often in cases of sudden, accidental or tragic deaths. Unfortunately, a proportion of these cases inevitably involve Kilkenny families.

As it stands, coroner-requested post-mortem services at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) are set to end in January. One TD, Michael Murphy, has warned this will have devastating human consequences for bereaved families across the South-East.

The Government needs to step up and ensure that all of these necessary services are provided at regional and local level where needed.