Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this important matter for this morning's Commencement debate. While I want to focus on the Westdoc service today, this issue is related to the broader matter of general practice in Ireland.

As we know, general practice in Ireland is under severe pressure and is facing major challenges. We do not have enough GPs and after many years of service and dedication, many of our GPs are approaching retirement age. We did not train enough GPs and we do not have the supports in place to ensure that GPs open or join practices in Ireland once trained.

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. Sadly, despite some progress in the last 18 months, particularly in the increase in the number attending GP training courses, communities across the country continue to lose their GPs. 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.As 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 in Moycullen, Rosscahill and Oughterard other areas, local GPs are still not included in the Westdoc service, the out-of-hours GP service for the west. 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 certainty of a comprehensive GP service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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.