GP CRISIS: Three out of four surgeries in Kilkenny can’t take on new patients

THREE out of four GP surgeries in Kilkenny city and country are full to capacity and cannot take on any new patients, according to a report published this morning.

The country’s deepening GP crisis is highlighted in a new survey carried out by The Sunday Independent.

As part of its investigation, the newspaper contacted a total of 336 GP practices, approximately one third of surgeries nationwide, to gauge the number that have closed their doors to new patients.

Some 148 of those contacted confirmed they were not taking on new patients.

Kilkenny was among the countries with the highest number of full-to-capacity surgeries, with 75% saying they could not take on any new patients. The remaining practices in the county said they would have to access prospective patients before registering them.

The situation in neighbouring Laois is even more stark, with no surgeries contacted in the county in a position to take on new patients.

In counties Carlow and Longford, 80pc of surgeries responded “no” when asked if they were taking on new patients.

More than half of GP surgeries in Tipperary (54pc), Kerry (53pc) and Limerick (52pc) cannot see extra patients.

Earlier this year Kilkenny TD Bobby Aylward spoke about the shortage of GPs in Kilkenny and Carlow in the Dáil when he challenged Health Minister Simon Harris to address the issue.