KERRY Sinn Féin TD, Pa Daly, has expressed his disappointment at reports that two radiology staff are leaving or have already left University Hospital Kerry (UHK) and is looking for confirmation of this from the hospital.
Deputy Daly claims there once were five staff in the department and now only one will remain and says the provision of nightshift radiographers has been outsourced to agency staff or a private company.
“We in Sinn Féin are calling on UHK to confirm if this is the case. I submitted a parliamentary question on this issue two weeks ago, and am still awaiting a reply,” he said.
Deputy Daly said he is also concerned at the lack of investment in updated radiology equipment and claims support staff must rely on analogue equipment, with UHK the only hospital in Ireland not using digitised equipment.
He expressed fears that a lack of appropriate services will result in University Hospital Kerry being downgraded and said this would be catastrophic for the county.