Sinn Féin Fianance Spokesperson Deputy Pearse Doherty has today branded proposed changes to doctors’ rotas for the out-of-hours NoWDOC service as ‘unsafe’.
Deputy Pearse Doherty
The Donegal Deputy’s comments come after proposed changes to GP rotas reveal that Caredoc, the company which operates the service, now plan to provide no dedicated Out-of-hour ‘Red-Eye’ service from NoWDOC’s Derrybeg Unit from Monday through to Friday.
“The GP rota changes propose to end having a dedicated GP in the Derrybeg Centre from one minute to midnight on Sundays until 6pm the following day, and its planned these hours will then be in effect each day right through until Fridays.”
“In essence, this means that – should this revised staffing arrange take effect – there will be no dedicated Red-Eye Out-of-hours GP care in the west of the County for most of the week – these changes are extremely worrying and would be unsafe for patients.”
“At present under the current rota, the centre in Derrybeg is manned by a GP during the night from midnight until 8am the next morning which means that medical care for the region is in place, however these new measures, which it’s expected will take effect from 15th June, will seriously affect patients as they will be left with no doctor in the area during the night.”
“What’s worse is that this new rota has been compiled prior to mediation talks which are due to take place next week between GPs, Caredoc and an independent mediator and which were supposed to examine ways of ensuring that out-of-hours care was not scaled back.”
“I am also very concerned about the future of the centre in Carndonagh as these changes could potentially be replicated there also.”
“Last week when I had heard of the speculation surrounding plans to reduce the service I immediately wrote to HSE management seeking clarification on reports that schedule changes were being considered and I also urged the HSE not to reduce the service as this would have a profound impact on patient care.”
“These plans raise some very serious and disturbing questions and people from the west of Donegal who should happen to become ill during the night are now facing into the unknown as to what care will be in place for them come June 15th.”
“This is a very serious situation, and I am once again calling on the HSE to give a clear and resolute commitment that appropriate out-of-hour GP care will be provided for people in West Donegal.”