No shortage of GPs operating medical card scheme in Mayo
THERE is no shortage of GPs operating the medical card scheme in Mayo, the chief officer of Community Healthcare West, Breda Crehan-Roche, told a Health Forum West meeting.
There are two vacancies in the county at the moment, which are being filled temporarily through locums.
She was responding to Councillor Michael Kilcoyne who had asked a series of questions on the issue.
He asked: Is there a shortage of GPs operating the medical card scheme in Co. Mayo? What is a reasonable length of time for a medical card patient to have to wait for an urgent appointment with a GP? How long should a patient wait for an appointment before presenting at the ED?
Ms. Crehan-Roche replied: “There are two GP vacancies in Mayo at present, one in Achill and another in Charlestown. However, both are filled in temporary capacities by GPs employed through locum agencies.
“Therefore all GP positions in Mayo are filled either on a permanent or temporary basis so there is no shortage of GPs operating the medical card scheme in the county.
“However some GPs are reluctant to accept new patients due to their existing workload.”
She continued: “The length of time that a medical card patient has to wait to get an appointment with their GP varies, depending on how urgent the appointment is, and how busy the practice is. Same day appointments are generally given in respect of urgent cases.
“Provision is also generally made in the appointments system to see emergencies as they arrive at the surgery.
“On occasion, the GP may refer a patient directly to the Emergency Department of an acute hospital based on the information received over the phone, e.g. chest pain.
“Patients should generally be seen or assessed by their GP before presenting at an ED Department. However patients are permitted to attend an ED without being assessed by a GP if they feel that their symptoms warrant urgent hospital care.”
Councillor Kilcoyne told the meeting: “On the ground, I know people ring for an appointment but are not given one for three or four days.
“One lady who was not feeling well on Monday was given an appointment for Thursday. On Wednesday she went into the hospital and ended up with pneumonia; it wasn't the doctor who sent her in.”
He added: “Some of this is medical treatment by Google. All a person can do is tell their symptoms to a doctor, but if they put in these symptoms to Google they get the same answer.
“I don't think it is good enough for people, particularly medical card patients, to be put waiting three or four days for a GP appointment.”