Almost 1,000 people sign petition in Kerry village to recruit a doctor

Almost 1,000 people have signed a petition to help a Ring of Kerry village secure a doctor. A continuing GP service in Sneem and its surrounding area is at risk, with the village doctor, Patrick Malone, due to retire after 34 years.

Advertising campaigns by the HSE have failed to attract a single offer for the post in the village, a National Tidy Towns’ winner.

Unfortunately, like many rural locations, running a GP practice is reportedly financially unattractive due to continuing cutbacks in the financial emergency measures programme. In recent years, many rural GP services have experienced cumulative reductions of 38% in their patients’ register.