Southdoc up and running in West Kerry
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Wednesday October 28 2009
THE HSE's SouthDoc medical service became operational in Dingle on Friday evening last, October 23, at 6pm. The service is based in a designated room in the new hospital which has been assigned to SouthDoc by the HSE.
Last month the HSE confirmed to The Kerryman that the service would be introduced to the peninsula.
Their statement said, "At recent management meetings it was outlined that GPs in West Kerry ( Dingle Peninsula) had expressed a desire to join the out of hours cooperative, as soon as possible. The HSE and SouthDoc agreed a funding mechanism whereby the service could be introduced, pending agreement between all parties. This matter is currently being progressed between the local GPs and SouthDoc management. The HSE continues to work closely with the Dingle GPs and management of Southdoc in terms of working towards the inclusion of the Dingle Peninsula in the Southdoc service."
Following that statement from the HSE another statement in support of the Southdoc system was issued and signed by Dr Conor Brosnan, Dr Pat Myers, Dr Margo O'Shea, Dr Nuala Rigney and Dr Tony Sills.
Their statement said: "This is a safer, better, proven out-of-hours GP service achieving 95% satisfaction ratings in repeated surveys throughout the country. There will be fewer locums from outside the area on duty at weekends. When locums are on duty they will have a locally recruited driver to bring them on house calls – especially important in an emergency. This is a huge improvement on the present system."
However, the new system has not been welcomed or supported by everyone. Another group of Dingle doctors and nurses issued a statement last month expressing concerns about the introduction of Southdoc to the peninsula.
A statement, signed by Dr M Ó Fionnáin, Dr Fiona Kavanagh, Dr Paul Moroney, Nurse Noirín Fanning and Nurse Kay Dillane, stated: " Under the Southdoc scheme doctors will have to cover three times their current area which will include Derrymore, C a s t l e g r e g o r y, Maharees, Brandon and Dún Chaoin. The system will be adminsitered and operated from Killarney where the call centre will be based. The locum will be required to work from Friday night to Monday morning."
A South African doctor, who has been working in Ireland for the past year, was on duty for SouthDoc in Dingle over the bank holiday weekend, according to Dr Conor Brosnan.
" The new system worked smoothly over the weekend and we'll be in contact with all our patients over the coming days to see if they have any suggestions regarding the service. We will see how the service establishes itself and we will be in a better position to comment on the initiative in a few weeks," he told The Kerryman on Monday.
