Connacht Tribune
1,000 Connemara GP patients to be left in the lurch

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has moved to try to reassure patients in Connemara that adequate cover for the imminent retirement of a GP is being arranged.
However, the HSE has conceded it has not yet sourced a locum or permanent General Practitioner replacement for Dr Mary Feerick, GP in An Cheathrú Rua, who is due to retire. And it is feared that more than 1,000 patients will be left without GP cover on Friday week, August 4.
Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh lashed the HSE for its “inaction” in implementing interim measures.
The Sinn Féin Senator said that “while HSE staff are heading on holidays, no arrangements have been put in place”.
Senator Ó Clochartaigh said the health authority was aware of the situation two months ago, and he queried how, a week out from retirement, a “totally unacceptable situation” exists.
“I understand that there may be discussions ongoing with a doctor who may be willing to take up the post in the medium term, but that no contract has been agreed and it is unclear when a new GP will be in situ.
“In the meantime, no cover has been agreed for Dr Feerick’s patients. They don’t know what they should do when she retires. Even if they can find another doctor who will treat them it is unclear if that GP will have access to their files and medical history or how far they may have to travel.
“The staff who have worked in Dr Feerick’s clinic have no idea where they stand either. And other GPs in the area who at present work in a four-in-one out-of-hours rota with Dr Feerick will be put under extra pressure to work in a three-in-one rota from that date as well.
“I understand that Dr Feerick has made every effort to accommodate the HSE in regard to this situation. I am also told that this was brought to the attention of the HSE by other GPs in the area over two months ago.
“They met with the HSE three weeks ago and still nothing has been agreed to provide an interim GP service.
“I find this totally unacceptable, particularly as I am also told that the person dealing with the situation in the HSE is heading off on holidays this week,” said Senator Ó Clochartaigh.
In a statement, the HSE said interviews to fill the vacancy in An Cheathrú Rua took place in June, and a successful candidate was offered the position. The HSE received an email on July 25 to confirm the successful candidate decided not to take up the position.
The HSE said it was “very disappointed” with that news but was making efforts to fill the post. It said “efforts are underway” to recruit a locum until a new permanent GP is appointed.
■ For more on this story, see the print edition of the Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest

Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Connacht Tribune
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents

Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Connacht Tribune
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety

GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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