The decision by the board of Shannondoc to cut back out of hours services in Clare needs to be reviewed according to Independent TD Michael Harty.
It is not the first time the former Kilmihil GP has spoken on the matter. His latest comments come almost seven weeks since the Mid-West GP provider first announced it was making changes to its service across Co Clare.
Dr. Harty said the extent of the service reduction is out of proportion to the problem of doctor shortages. “People are very angry and frustrated at the changes as we heard at public meetings in Kilrush and Killaloe. The problem of GP and locum doctor shortages is very real and urgent. For reasons of patient safety we need, in the interim, to go back to the old system with the compromise that should a doctor not be available, the cover will be provided from a little further away.
“For example, in the Kilrush/Ennistymon area when there is no GP available, the evening service would be supplied from Miltown. Should the same situation arise in Killaloe, the evening service would be supplied from Limerick or Nenagh. There is essentially no change to the night time cover”.
A meeting of the Kilrush community took place on November 18th with a similar event taking place in Killaloe more recently. The outcome of the Killaloe meeting saw an agreement that Clare’s public representatives would seek a meeting with the Chief Executive and Board of Shannondoc.
Harty has given an indication as to what he will say at this meeting. “I will ask Shannondoc to review the decision for the time being until a more permanent solution is found. We must also seek a meeting with the Minister for Health Simon Harris on out of hours cover and the urgent need for GP contract negotiations which would attract GPs to work in rural Ireland”.
He concluded “As we heard at the public meetings, doctors in the Shannondoc coop are generally highly thought of by their patients. It is important that nothing is done to undermine that confidence. It is also important that we recognise the limitations of what doctors can physically do without putting patient safety at risk”.