Anger has been expressed by Clare’s Independent TD over what he’s described as the failure by health officials to recognise the GP manpower crisis gripping the country.
Dr Michael Harty is commenting in light of concerns raised over the closure of the Shannondoc service in Miltown Malbay over the weekend, for the second time in a month.
Shannondoc has ruled out further curtailing services in West Clare, in spite of local concerns about its future.
However, it has called for help in changing Visa rules which it says would make it easier to bring in doctors from abroad to work cover shifts.
In recent times, on occasion, the service has been unable to staff the night-time shift in some offices, including Miltown Malbay.
As a result, the Ennis office also served patients from North and West Clare this past weekend and Kilrush mother Maureen Creagh was directed there when her daughter was in pain on Sunday.
While Shannondoc says it needs help to secure more GPs, the HSE has said no change to Visa rules are required.
This approach has led Clare’s Independent TD to hit out at the Department of Health and the HSE’s failure to recognise what he’s described as the manpower crisis gripping the country.
Dr Michael Harty is warning that a full shut down of out of hours GP services in places like West Clare is coming down the line, if steps aren’t urgently taken to address the shortfall in doctors.
