Two islands off Galway and Mayo face the prospect of no local doctor with the pending retirement of a mainland-based GP.
As the Connacht Tribune reports, Dr Ciarán McLoughlin will end his services to the community on Inishbofin and Inishturk next week after retiring from his Clifden practice earlier this year.
But as of a week ago, the HSE had not found a replacement full-time GP, and it continues to advertise for the position.