A locum GP is to serve the people of Swanlinbar and surrounding areas for the immediate future after Dr Kevin Deering and Dr Jacqueline Ellis-Deering retired at the end of October.

While no interviews have been held for the post yet, it has been advertised on both sides of the border and the South’s Health Service Executive (HSE) has assured the people of the area that a locum doctor will be covering the service until a new resident GP can be found. 

Local Cllr John Paul Feeley said the retirement of Dr Kevin Deering, who had been in the post for decades, marked “an end of an era” for the area. 

“After many years of valued service to the people of Swanlinbar and surrounding areas. I wish him many years of healthy and happy retirement,” he said, adding a new GP must be found for the area as soon as possible. 

“Not just in recent days but since I heard of Dr Deering’s retirement I have been in regular contact with the HSE to impress on them the need to appoint a new GP to serve the people of the area and ensure continuity of service, as has Brendan Smith TD.”

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