Northside SouthDoc still shut

People on the city’s northside have been left feeling neglected and disenfranchised by the reopening of all Cork SouthDoc sites, except the one in Blackpool.

That’s according to local councillor Mick Nugent who told the Cork Independent that he and other councillors have been approached by a number of constituents who believe the decision is yet another example of the northside being neglected.

“It seems that earlier in the year the SouthDocs around the city were closed, apparently to minimise the risk of infection, but they've all been reopened bar Blackpool,” said the Sinn Féin (SF) councillor.

He added: “If they want to minimise the risk of infection, surely it would be better to have two locations rather than everybody driving out to one location?”

Responding to a parliamentary question raised by TD for Cork City North-West, Thomas Gould (SF), as to the reason for the extended closure, Teresa O’Donovan, Head of Service, Primary Care at Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, confirmed that all SouthDoc sites in the city and county are now open except for Blackpool.

However, Ms O’Donovan’s response did not directly address the reason as to why Blackpool SouthDoc has remained shut. She said: “We are continuing discussions with SouthDoc with regard to how their service will be delivered in the weeks and months ahead.

“SouthDoc have assured us that every possible effort has been made and will continue to be made to avoid or minimise any impact on patients.”

In the meantime, people living on the northside of the city in need of out of hours assistance will have to travel to SouthDoc on the Kinsale Road. Additionally, SouthDoc centres in Mallow, Bandon, Bantry, Castletownbere and Midleton are now open.

Cllr Nugent continued: “People are being asked to avoid A&E in order to reduce pressure on doctors. For people on the northside who don't drive, they're forced to take the bus or get a taxi out to the Kinsale Road.

“There doesn't seem to be a good reason for this, and if there is one, they haven't explained it.”