Seanad debates

Wednesday, 4 May 2005

7:00 pm

Photo of Diarmuid WilsonDiarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I wish to raise with the Minister for Health and Children the concerns of the local community at the level of general practitioner services in Shercock, County Cavan.

My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith, and I received representations from Councillor Francis McDermott and the local community on the decrease in the level of general practitioner services in the town of Shercock, County Cavan. At present, the GP hours of service in Shercock are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. I understand from Councillor McDermott that a letter dated 13 March 2005 was circulated to the people of Shercock informing them that, as and from 9 May 2005, there will only be a Monday afternoon clinic from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and a Friday clinic from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and that there will be no clinic on Wednesday from then on. This was the first the local community heard of this change, which came like a bolt out of the blue. The letter also explained that patients from the Shercock area could be seen in the clinic in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, at all other times.

I understand that a very well attended public meeting organised by the community council took place last night in Shercock, and the community voiced its concerns about the reduction in GP services. To date, more than 900 people have signed a petition calling on the GP hours to be retained and, indeed, increased. Councillor McDermott also received letters from factories in the area, one of which employs more than 400 people. They are very unhappy for health and safety reasons that the clinic times are being reduced further.

The GP group practice located at Cloughvalley, Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, appears to be neglecting the people of Shercock and the surrounding area, which is not acceptable. Last Thursday, my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith, organised a meeting which I attended with Councillor McDermott in the Health Service Executive, North-East Area, offices in Navan. We met with Ms Anne-Marie Hoey, director of primary care services, who was very helpful. As a result of the meeting, I received a letter yesterday from Ms Hoey stating that the executive is currently exploring a number of options that will ensure the provision of a satisfactory GP service in the locality and that she hopes to reach a satisfactory solution.

It is not acceptable that the people of the town of Shercock, with a population in the greater Shercock area of more than 1,000, will be without GP services for the bulk of the week. I urge the Minister of State to have the current times retained and, if possible, to have the times of the clinics increased because the people of Shercock deserve a general practitioner service.

Photo of Seán PowerSeán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes the securing of appropriately trained general practitioners to provide services to medical card holders under the general medical services scheme in its functional area.

General practitioner services are being provided to persons who hold medical cards and who reside in Shercock, County Cavan, by general practitioners who are based in Carrickmacross. This area comes under the responsibility of the Health Service Executive's north-eastern area. These GPs provide a number of clinics in Shercock. Patients may also attend the GP practice premises in person during normal surgery times by appointment or at walk-in clinics where no appointment is necessary. Domiciliary visits, where clinically necessary, are also provided. Out-of-hours cover for the Shercock area is provided by the North East Doc Co-operative, which operates from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday Sunday, public and bank holidays.

The Health Service Executive's north-eastern area has advised the Department that officials from its primary care unit met with a group of public representatives from the area last week, which included Senator Wilson. The officials explained that they are currently exploring a number of options in regard to GP services in Shercock and they hope to reach a conclusion in the near future. The officials undertook to keep the group apprised of developments.

As regards manpower levels in general practice, the Department of Health and Children met with the Irish College of General Practitioners which is responsible for the organisation of training of GPs in Ireland. It was agreed with the college to increase the number of training places from the current 84 to 150. It was also agreed with the Irish College of General Practitioners that this would best be achieved on a phased basis with 22 new places being provided in each of the years 2005 to 2007. Funding was provided to allow the Health Service Executive implement this development in 2005.