Cork woman, 80, forced to take 160km round trip for hospital treatment due to lack of services in Bantry

Regional hospitals in Bantry, Wexford, Mayo, Portlaoise, and Letterkenny need a dedicated consultant neurologist to remove access inequities, the Neurological Alliance of Ireland said. File picture: Andy Gibson.

An 80-year-old woman living in Bantry has to travel to Cork City, a 160km round trip, to see a neurologist due to a lack of regional services, the Oireachtas health committee heard on Wednesday.

It also heard of delays created by the HSE recruitment freeze in boosting access to specialist nurses, including for Cork and Waterford.