Further call for Longford ophthalmology services to be restored for hard-pressed families

Ophthalmology patients in Longford are being significantly inconvenienced with some being forced to take days off work or miss appointments due to the lack of local services.

That is the view of Fine Gael Councillor Peggy Nolan, who raised the issue at Tuesday's local authority meeting and stressed a lack of public transport is another major issue.

Ophthalmology is a clinical and surgical specialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders

Cllr Nolan highlighted the issue several times this year and called for the restoration of services in Longford.

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However, she said the difficulties became even more apparent to her as recently her grandchildren needed to avail of ophthalmology

Cllr Nolan stated when the hospital closed in Longford an A&E department was "promised".
"It's very difficult to attract industry to a town that does not have 24-7 medical emergency access," she said. "We don't have that in Longford, We have 9.30am to 5.30pm. We have a GP-led casualty which is serving the public brilliantly."

Cllr Nolan stated they have an X-ray department which is serving the public very well and taking the pressure off Mullingar and Tullamore (Hospitals).

"We have MyDoc (that provides access to GP services via video and phone consultation), which we had to fight for several times where they are threatening to pull it and then they bring it back," she said. "The trouble is we have a clinic that is falling into disrepair because it's all joined in with the Budget at Mullingar Regional Hospital so we need a maintenance budget and a caretaker of that building to be able to provide services."

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Cllr Nolan stated Sláintecare was based on bringing services to the people.
"We in Longford had a fantastic ophthalmology service for young and old, men and women, young boys and girls, it was a top notch service," she said. "But the ophthalmology specialist who was providing the service in that clinic and facility gave notice to the HSE back in February that she would be going on maternity leave and she gave them ample time for her to be replaced."

Cllr Nolan stated there is a lot of disappointment she has not been replaced.

She stated that both her and Senator Micheál Carrigy contacted "various members of the HSE and the executive of the HSE to no avail whatsoever".

Cllr Nolan said she is not highlighting the issue for votes and it is a vital service.

"What affects the people of Longford affects me directly as well," she added.
"Senator Micheál Carrigy and I and the Longford Leader published the letter we sent to the HSE in July but we didn't get a response from them."

Cllr Nolan said she has grandchildren and previously had children attending school in Longford.

"All that they would have to do previously is be collected at school 20 minutes before their appointment in Longford and come in and see a top ophthalmology specialist," she said. "Their prescriptions or whatever needed to be done would be taken care of and they would go back to school after missing an hour or an hour and a half."

However, Cllr Nolan stated recently her grandkids had to be picked up from school and transported to Athlone.

"They got great service in Athlone and they missed the day in school. That service was available in Longford and the HSE moved it to Athlone," she added.

Cllr Nolan said Tullamore deals with joint and hip replacements and cancer treatments.

"All of that is fantastic service for the people who can access it and for the people of Longford that's where their services are but there is no rail or road link to Tullamore," she said. "So the HSE in their wisdom are putting services to serve the Longford people without putting in transport for those people to be able to access those services and they are out of reach of people who don't drive."

Cllr Nolan said for example if one of the parents in a family is working unless there is a second car available they will need to book the day off work.

"Are the lives of people in Longford less important than the people in Athlone and Mullingar," she added.

Cllr Nolan said there is unanimous support from local councillors for the restoration of ophthalmology services as soon as possible and another letter is being sent to the HSE.

"I'm on the Mid-Leinster HSE forum, I declined a seat on that since it's inception but I am on it now to see if there is any way I can make an impact to have our grievances heard," she concluded.