Islanders say they have no idea when the vacant nurses post will be filled permanently. Photograph: Keith Heneghan/Phocus

The exposed west coast island of Inishturk faces its first Christmas in decades without medical cover, due to a failure to fill its vacant nursing post.

We are at our wits end, with so many promises that havent been kept, Inishturk community worker Mary Heanue said.

Comhdhil Oilein na hireann, the Irish Islands Federation, has called on the Health Service Executive (HSE) West to reinstate a basic medical service for the community of 58 residents, living 14.5km (9 miles) off the west Mayo coast.

The federation says it is part of a wider issue relating to cutbacks in healthcare for offshore islands, an issue about which it has been seeking an urgent meeting with HSE West for several months.

Inishturk residents have had no daily access to medical care since September 20th of this year, when their nurse of 30 years retired. She had been due to stand down last December (2013), but stayed on at the request of HSE West while a replacement was found.

Since 2009 the island has been afforded no locums to cover the nurses leave.

She had often worked during her time off to ensure her neighbours received medical care, and never wanted to see us wanting, but it is unfair of the HSE to take advantage of this, Ms Heanue said.

We were told that unless we had a pregnant woman, or somebody in dressings or requiring injections,we were not entitled to a locum, Ms Heanue said. The island has had two days of medical cover since September once when a GP visited from Clifden and once when the Clare Island nurse came out for a day, Ms Heanue said.

The community on Inis Orr, Co Galway, has had medical cover reduced since April, the island federation said.

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Inishturk faces Christmas with no medical cover