County Mayor calls on SouthDoc to ‘come clean’ on exactly what services it is providing in Fermoy

The Mayor of County Cork has called on SouthDoc to “come clean” and explain “once and for all” what services it is providing after 10pm in its Fermoy centre.

Councillor Frank O’Flynn was speaking to The Echo after the most recent demonstration against what locals say are reductions to the SouthDoc service in the area.

A public protest over the weekend saw dozens of people take to the streets in Mitchelstown after local representatives and residents have claimed that the so-called red eye overnight service at SouthDoc Fermoy ceased to operate at 10pm on Tuesday, July 18.

Locals have said they fear that the out-of-hours GP service will close altogether due to a lack of replacement staff.

Cllr O’Flynn described any diminution of service at Fermoy’s SouthDoc as “an absolute disgrace”.

The Glanworth councillor said a letter from Cork County Council to SouthDoc, had received a reply saying “the full quantum of services is being fully retained in Fermoy”.

“How can SouthDoc say they’re keeping the full service in Fermoy if they’re taking the nurses, the doctors, and the car that’s there to call out to patients?” asked Cllr O’Flynn.

“We got no reply whatsoever since we wrote back to SouthDoc, so I’m calling on them to explain to us, what services are they actually providing in Fermoy after 10pm at night."

He pointed out that the Fermoy SouthDoc centre is serving an area as big as Limerick city and county put together. “It serves all of North Cork, West Waterford, South Tipperary, and West Limerick.” Cllr O’Flynn said he had never in his political career received so much support on any issue as he has on this, with people approaching him on the street and urging him to fight for SouthDoc.

He added that without the red eye service, people had to rely on an overstretched ambulance service or overworked emergency departments, or else visit SouthDoc’s Mallow or Midleton centres.

“We have people who have no transport and they’re asked to go all the ways back to Mallow,” Cllr O’Flynn said.

“You could have a situation where people are going from South Tipperary, Clogheen, or Araglen, all the way to Mallow.

"It’s absolutely crazy.

“The health of a community is on the line here,” he said, adding that there is a fear that all regional SouthDoc centres be closed and the service centralised to Cork city.

“I calling on SouthDoc to come clean and explain once and for all, what services are they providing in the Fermoy SouthDoc centre after 10pm at night” Cllr O’Flynn said.

The HSE has said there are no plans to cease operations of the service.

In a statement issued to The Echo last week, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) said it wished to reassure people “that there is no reduction of service, red eye or otherwise, in Fermoy”.