Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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235. To ask the Minister for Health if an urgent response will issue and if he will address the decision to downgrade the north east doctor on call services (details supplied) which was put down to HSE underfunding and the proposed downgrading of Navan accident and emergency and intensive care unit services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33227/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs contracted under the General Medical Services Scheme are required by their contract to make suitable arrangements to enable contact to be made with them, or a locum or deputy, for emergencies outside of normal practice hours. While there is no obligation on GPs to participate in GP out of hours co-operatives as a means of meeting the contractual requirement, most GPs do so as such services facilitate the provision of GP services outside of normal surgery hours and help to spread the burden of this provision.

NEDOC GP out of hours cooperative has informed the HSE of its intention to reconfigure its GP out-of-hours service with effect from August 2022, with no availability of late night in-person GP consultations. The HSE have sought an urgent meeting with the board of NEDOC to discuss the proposed reduction in services.

GP out of hours cooperatives are private organisations. The HSE provides significant funding to co-operatives, including NEDOC, through service level agreements to support the provision of out of hour GP services.

NEDOC have also expressed its concern regarding the HSE’s proposal, which has been made on the basis of patient safety, for the transition of the Emergency Department at Our Lady’s Hospital Navan. Service availability and capacity issues for the area would need to be fully addressed before any proposed transition could take place.