Stephen Donnelly: Cover will 'assist' Bantry Hospital operations in the coming weeks

Protestors in the West Cork town are today highlighting the gap in services in the area

Bantry General Hospital's acute medical assessment unit has had restricted access due to a lack of consultants. Picture: Denis Minihane.

The Health Minister says that cover has been secured which will "assist" Bantry Hospital's acute services over the coming weeks.

Posting on Twitter, Stephen Donnelly said that full-time consultant cover will be in place by September at the hospital, where a protest is ongoing on Sunday afternoon.

"We secured locum cover from Friday to assist operation of the Acute Medical Assessment Unit. We’re working to secure additional cover to allow for normal operations. Recruitment of full time consultants is underway, to be in place in September. Discussions are ongoing to secure further locum cover for the end of the month pending the arrival of the new consultants.

"The current arrangements allows medical patients be transferred to Bantry and the hospital group is working with local GPs to keep them updated on progress."

The hospital's Acute Medical Assessment Unit has had restricted access since last Monday week as it does not have enough consultants to offer full services.

There are supposed to be “at least five consultant physicians” based at the hospital, according to the HSE in 2015.

Of four consultants hired for Bantry General Hospital, two have retired since acute surgery ceased in 2013 and the 24-hour casualty unit was replaced with an urgent care unit consisting of a five-days-a-week medical assessment unit and a 24-7 local injury unit.

A third consultant is now unavailable for personal reasons, leaving just one.

A protest is ongoing in Bantry on Sunday about the impact on health services in the area, with local GPs raising concerns about the lack of consultation about the changes in the area.