No consultation over closure of Boot Road clinic
By Brendan Grehan
MEMBERS OF the community in Clondalkin held a protest on Monday against the closure of dental services in the Boot Road Clinic.
There was a good turnout for the protest, with many protesters annoyed that services have been transferred to Rowlagh and Ballyfermot health centres, but the HSE has not increased the staffing in those centres.
Councillor Mark Ward told The Echo: “The dental services have stopped at the clinic and there is no indication when they will resume. The problem is that some people are going down to Ballyfermot and Rowlagh and they are not being seen.
“One woman told me she brought her granddaughter to Ballyfermot and she wasn’t seen. Another mother took her child to Ballyfermot and then had to be seen in town, so she spent €18 in bus fares”.
Cllr Ward criticised the HSE for not consulting with the community before coming to their decision. He said: “There was no consultation with the local community.
“It was a decision made by default. Dental services are one of those services that you don’t realise you need on your doorstep until they are not there.”
A spokeswoman for local TD and Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald told The Echo: “Two dentists have left their posts, and four dentists between 2015 and 2016 have either taken or are currently on Maternity Leave.
“During this period of staff turnover, the priority is to ensure the continued delivery of emergency services in an efficient and timely manner.
“As a result, the HSE took the decision to centralise dental services for Clondalkin patients to the Rowlagh and Ballyfermot Health Centres.”
The HSE told The Echo that the services in Boot Road which provided dental services (for eligible adults and children with special needs, emergency services for children under 16 years and targeted services for children in 6th and 2nd class) were staffed by two dentists and a dental hygienist.
The spokesperson said that the recent resignation of two dentists and four dentists taking maternity leave in 2015 and 2016 in HSE Dublin West “has affected HSE capacity to provide dental services and it is not possible to staff all clinics in the area at present.”
She added: “Services are being centralised in Rowlagh Health Centre, Clondalkin and Ballyfermot Health Centre to allow for efficient delivery of emergency services. Subject to appropriate staffing being in place, it is the intention of the HSE to maintain dental services within the Clondalkin area.”
The spokesperson said that patients requiring completion of treatment have been assigned to other clinics to complete their treatment with children in 2nd Class who have not received an appointment “being offered appointments mainly in Inchicore or in the Meath Campus on Kevin Street”.
