Westdoc constraints to be raised with Minister

However, the local GP service has said that it has already been refused “urgently increased funding” under the Sláinte Care initiative which it needs to grow the service.

Minister Mary Butler has agreed there are “huge challenges” in providing GP and out-of-hours services in this country, particularly in rural areas.

She was responding to issues raised in the Seanad by Galway-based senator Sean Kyne, who has called for Westdoc to be expanded to include Moycullen, Rosscahill and Oughterard and that investment in GP services needs to be increased.

“We do not invest adequately in primary care services in Ireland and a much greater portion of our overall health budget should be invested in primary care. The funding should recognise the unique relationships between GPs and their patients. It should prioritise care in the community and strive for outcomes that avoid ever having to attend crowded emergency departments or acute hospitals.

“Areas such as Corrandulla and Oughterard in Galway, among others, have been left without a service or with a diminished service, forcing local people to travel to attend a GP. And this only relates to weekday GP services, the situation in respect of out-of-hours services is even more troubling. Despite the efforts of GPs serving the Moycullen, Rosscahill and Oughterard communities, among other areas, local GPs are still not included in the Westdoc service.

“The local GPs serving the Moycullen, Rosscahill and Oughterard areas are working flat out to provide a service out of hours and at weekends for their local communities. The HSE is currently, and I must emphasise that this is during a pandemic, providing locum cover on a one-in-five basis but only in the short term with no commitment to maintaining this provision into the future.

“In many areas, over 90% of doctors are covered by out-of-hours services. In the area that I am talking about, the eastern part of Connemara, that coverage is barely over 60%. It is unfair, unsafe and unsound. The local community and GPs deserve better.

“More funding must be provided to Westdoc for its expansion in order that all communities are covered and have the certainty of a comprehensive GP service 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Senator Kyne.

He said he had been contacted by GPs who were refused entry to Westdoc.

““I have been contacted by Moycullen and Oughterard GPs, who have been refused entry to Westdoc and have requested intervention. To put this into context, they say that when they are on call, they are on call for 48 hours every fourth weekend and every fourth night, as well as providing full weekday services. As one can imagine, that is a very onerous task for them to undertake, both physically and mentally in terms of their own well-being, but also in relation to that of patients. A more sustainable model needs to be put in place and the funding must be provided for access to the Westdoc service for this local area,” said Senator Kyne.

Minister Butler responded: “I take on board the point made by Senator Kyne that some doctors have applied to join the out-of-hours co-operative, and I will take that back to the Minister. I find it hard to understand why, when there is a shortage of doctors, they are finding it difficult to access a co-operative. It is strange.

“Funding for the service is provided through a service level arrangement with HSE community healthcare organisation, CHO2. In 2020, this organisation received almost €3.9 million in funding through this arrangement. In 2019, in addition to the funding allocated through the service level arrangement, HSE primary care operations allocated an additional sum of €150,000 to CHO2 for the provision of extra staffing for the GP rota in rural areas.

“I understand that CHO2 engaged directly with Westdoc to ensure that this funding was allocated to the area of greatest priority within that service, extending weekend cover in north Connemara, south Connemara and Achill.

“It is acknowledged that the Westdoc service does not extend to certain rural areas within the region, and that additional funding would be required to extend the service that is currently being provided. I understand that this places additional pressures on GPs in the area,” said Minister Butler.

Senator Kyne said he will push it at local level to try and secure additional funding for Westdoc and get admission to the doctors serving the Moycullen, Rosscahill and Oughterard areas.

In response to queries from the Connacht Tribune, Brian O’Keeffe, Chief Executive of Westdoc issued the following statement: “Westdoc provides Urgent Out Of Hours GP Care to one of the largest geographic areas in the Country, namely Galway Mayo and Roscommon. Westdoc strives at all time to increase membership and service across the three counties.

“Westdoc cannot expand any further without increased funding and to this end met with Minister Simon Harris last year to brief him on the situation in the West of Ireland and how urgently increased funding was required. He accepted our concerns and suggested we apply for such funding from a newly-launched Sláinte Care initiative. This we did but sadly were unsuccessful in our application. Westdoc will continue to pursue additional funding required, working very closely with the HSE.”