HSE fails to fill south Tipperary eye care post after three recruitment campaigns
After three failed recruitment campaigns, a key eye care post in south Tipperary remains vacant, leaving thousands of patients waiting for treatment.
The campaign to find a new consultant ophthalmologist for south Tipperary has been ongoing since 2024 when Dr Maureen Hillary, the former community ophthalmologist retired.
A number of recruitment campaigns have been run by the HSE, but despite this, they have still been unable to fill the position.
In the latest update, independent councillor John O’Heney said that one campaign did secure a candidate, who declined the role before their start date, while two further campaigns yielded no applicants.
"To address the gap, the HSE are planning a fourth recruitment campaign for the post, strengthening the team by adding an optometrist and orthoptist.
The HSE will also continue “working with national and local hospitals to review and prioritise waiting lists, supported by a team from University Hospital Waterford and organising clinics to manage patient demand during this period,” Cllr O’Heney said.
The HSE said in a letter that despite doing all they can to increase the availability of opthalmology services in Tipperary, measures will take time to be effective.
"Whilst this is a welcome measure for our patients in Tipperary south, it will take time to implement. However, please be assured the process is underway and we are actively looking at organising clinics for these patients,” they said.
A further recruitment campaign to fill the vacant position will be run while all these measures are ongoing, the HSE added.
In the meantime, patients with an urgent need are being treated at University Hospital Waterford, Cllr O’Heney added, saying that he understands the frustrations of people in Tipperary on this issue.
"I understand many people’s deep frustrations on this issue, and, I am pushing hard for this to be resolved,” he said.
"Over 2,300 children are on waiting lists for essential eye care and treatment. This is causing huge stress and cost for local families forced to seek private care,” Cllr O’Heney said previously.
"We successfully fought to have this position upgraded and made permanent, but the HSE must now urgently address why this post is unattractive to candidates,” the independent councillor added.