Councillor unhappy Westport had no GP cover on Reek Sunday

WESTPORT was without GP cover on what is traditionally one of its busiest days of the year - Reek Sunday.

Westdoc, who provide out of hours GP care, directed callers to seek a doctor in Castlebar, with a nurse on duty in the seaside town.

The matter was raised by Councillor John O'Malley at a local municipal district meeting, who said Westdoc should be available to people all week when their own doctors are off duty.

This had occurred on Reek Sunday when there were a lot of people visiting Westport.

The councillor explained how he rang for a doctor himself and was told he would have to go to Castlebar. He said there wasn't a hope of him getting there and he was told a doctor would contact him with advice. That was at 9.45 a.m. He received a call 'when the Connaught final was over'.

Councillor O'Malley proposed that the municipal district would write to the Minister for Health and outline the situation to him, and tell him they found it unacceptable that Westport would be left without a doctor any Sunday, but especially on a busy one like this.