Councillor ’fuming’ over delays to Milford primary care plans - Donegal Daily

HSE officials say they have a “vested interest” in advancing Milford’s primary care expansion as frustration grows over years of delays.Councillor Declan Meehan...

HSE officials say they have a “vested interest” in advancing Milford’s primary care expansion as frustration grows over years of delays.

Councillor Declan Meehan revealed that he was “absolutely fuming” over the lack of progress on plans to secure extra accommodation for primary care and Older Persons Day Services in the Milford area.

After raising the matter at the Regional Health Forum for the third time, he described the existing Milford Health Centre as “no longer fit for purpose” and at full capacity.

Cllr Meehan said the lack of space was preventing some primary care staff from operating satellite clinics locally and was affecting waiting times and waiting lists.

The proposed expansion is intended to provide additional space for services including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics and speech and language therapy, alongside the return of Older Persons Day Services.

Earlier this year, the HSE had indicated that an Expressions of Interest process would be used to secure leased accommodation for the expansion. In January, it said the process would begin “ in the coming weeks ”, with a formal tender to follow.

Cllr Meehan said he was subsequently told the process would begin around the end of April or beginning of May.

Older Persons Day Services have also been absent from the Milford electoral area since their closure at Ramelton Community Hospital in 2020.

“So that’s at least six years of this hmming and hawing about primary care space in the Milford electoral area,” Cllr Meehan said.

He also raised concerns about Tamney Health Centre in Fanad, which he described as “completely unfit for purpose” and without the room needed to expand services.

HSE representative Amanda Doyle, Head of Service Primary Care CHO1, said officials were keen to move the Milford project forward.

“We do have a vested interest in moving this on, to get our Older Persons Day Services reinstated, and indeed the additional space that’s required for physio, OTs and our satellite clinics coming from Letterkenny.”

Ms Doyle said a meeting with HSE Estates had been arranged next week to review what had happened to date and begin an options appraisal for the area’s future accommodation needs.

A Strategic Health Investment Framework is also being progressed in relation to Tamney Health Centre.

When Cllr Meehan asked why the promised Expressions of Interest process had been delayed, Ms Doyle said she did not have the exact details but that the forthcoming review would examine what accommodation was now required and how the plans should proceed.