Skin treatment clinic to open at Bantry General

A NEW clinic to treat people with chronic skin conditions is to open at Bantry General Hospital tomorrow.

The fortnightly clinic, which will take place on Monday mornings, will be officially opened by Dr John Donohue, president of the Royal College of Physicians.

The clinic has been established through cooperation between the Royal College of Physicians and the South Infirmary/Victoria University Hospital.

The dermatology clinic will primarily focus on people suffering from chronic skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis (red scaly patches) and acne.

Dr Michelle Murphy, consultant dermatologist at the South Infirmary/ Victoria University Hospital and Cork University Hospital will run the service.

“Skin conditions can negatively impact on a person’s life causing discomfort, social withdrawal and absence from work. Psoriasis for example is a chronic, sometimes disabling skin condition, which affects one in 50 of the Irish population. Studies have shown that psoriasis can have as much impact on patients’ quality of life as diabetes or arthritis,” Dr Murphy said.

She said treatment options for psoriasis have improved considerably in the last five years, and with the establishment of the outreach clinic, treatment will be more accessible for people living in region.

The clinic will be available for people in the west Cork and south Kerry area.

Until now, a patient travelling from Allihies to a dermatology clinic in Cork would undertake a round trip of over 300km and endure a travelling time of over five hours.

Eleanor O’Donovan, manager of Bantry General Hospital said the clinic “will have a positive impact on patients who require the services of the dermatology clinic as it ensures they can receive treatment locally. I am delighted with this joint initiative between Bantry General Hospital, South Infirmary/Victoria University Hospital and Cork University Hospital as it fosters good working relationships between multiple sites”.