Patients suffer as GPs warn of surgeries at breaking point
TWENTY-THREE practices across the country rely on temporary locum GPs to remain open due to the shortage of medics. One practice has been unable to find a permanent doctor for more than nine years and at least three doctors are working past their retirement age, new figures released to the Irish Mail on Sunday reveal.
Dr Andree Rochfort’s practice in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, spent four years searching for a new GP. She said: ‘It’s hard to get locums and find new GPs. The HSE’s response is to merge the lists but there is a huge workload involved.’
She added that burnout among GPs was having a negative impact on patients.
HSE figures for GPs caring for medical card patients show that one area in western Galway has had a locum doctor for over nine years, an area in Meath for two years and eight months, and another in Cavan-Monaghan for two years and seven months.
Areas of Dublin have also been hit, with only a locum at one practice in Blanchardstown for 15 months, another in Dublin 1 for 11 months and one in Skerries for 19 months. Just three of the nine HSE community regions have no locums. Chris Goodey, of the National Association of General Practitioners, said: ‘Many lists are not viable as the cuts to fees have been so dramatic.’ In Thurles, Co. Tipperary, one doctor is due to retire at the end of March but no replacement has been found after five rounds of advertising. The GP concerned did not wish to comment. Local Labour councillor John Kennedy said: ‘There are almost 800 patients in his practice, that’s a huge figure.’
A HSE spokesperson said: ‘As of March 1, 2017 there are 2,482 GMS panels; a greater number than at any time in the past eight years. Only 23 GMS lists do not have a permanent GP in place, which is less than 1% of the total number of GMS GPs.’
In relation to Thurles, she said: ‘We are continuing to make efforts to find a replacement GP. In the meantime, we are attempting to secure a locum GP.’
Pádraig McGarry, head of the GP committee for the Irish Medical Organisation, told the MoS: ‘Some vacancies are in areas where there would be a substantial population. That does not augur well. It is disconcerting.’