“Enhanced Community Care, aiming to provide more services closer to people’s homes and provide extra services for older people, is a huge investment in community healthcare services in the HSE,” according to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD, who recently officially opened the Thomastown Primary Care Centre in Co Kilkenny.

At 16,344 square metres over two floors, and operational since December 2022, the centre will facilitate a multidisciplinary group of health and social care professionals in delivering primary care services to local communities. The centre also houses a GP practice.   

Services being offered in the new centre include speech and language therapy, chronic disease management, physiotherapy, public health nursing, dietetics, podiatry, mental health, occupational therapy, ophthalmology, social prescribing, and psychology, along with social inclusion services for marginalised communities.

Speaking at the event, the Minister noted how the Enhanced Community Care programme was, “at its core, a reform programme representing an investment of €240 million to develop and enhance care in the community. It has been developed under the Sláintecare Programme to ensure all HSE primary and community care services work together effectively.

“Across the country we now have 94 Community Healthcare Networks, 21 Community Specialist Teams for Older Persons, 21 Chronic Disease Community Specialist Teams, and 21 Community Intervention Teams. Community diagnostic services provided over 253,000 scans to patients in 2022.

“I want to thank the HSE staff, working in partnership with GPs and Primary Care Teams, who are already making a difference to the lives of people throughout Co Kilkenny and right across the country.”