Killeshandra Primary Care Centre within ‘short time scale’
The provision of a Primary Care Centre for Killeshandra was raised at the November meeting of Cavan County Council. The council members have undertaken to return to the issue at the next meeting of the local authority.
The members were discussing a correspondence from the HSE. The letter said that the Arva/Killeshandra area was identified “some time ago” by the HSE as a location for the progression of the a new Primary Care Centre.
In a letter to the local authority responding to a request on an update the body that oversees the provision of healthcare said: ‘Following completion of an advertised process, an agreement for lease arrangement was arrived at in late 2011 with Cavan County Enterprise Fund for he provision of a new Primary Care Unit using the Health Service Executive Operation Lease mechanism.’
However the missive went on to say: ‘In spite of a huge amount of collective effort, the facility was not unfortunately delivered and the agreement of lease with CCEF was consequently terminated.’
The HSE correspondence stated that they have received a number of expressions of interest and hope to identify a preferred provider “within a relatively short time scale”.
Responding to the letter Cllr Sean Smith said: “This is on the agenda for a long time. There have been two or three locations looked at. We must keep in touch with the HSE and seek a monthly report on the matter.
We must not let them off the hook. I have a sense that they are running down the clock.”
Fine Gael’s Peter McVitty was a little more circumspect on the matter saying: “This is going on years and years. I have been told that the HSE are pushing very hard to make sure it happens.”
Cllr John Paul Feeley (FF) described the letter from the HSE as “a very disappointing” response.
He said: “People expect a broadened level of service from a primary care centre. The HSE should be forced to act on this.”
In summing up, Cathaoirleach Paddy McDonald said it was a widely held view that matters in relation to the primary care centre had “taken a backward step”.