Low patient demand prompted reduction in doctors

Three mobile doctors and a triage nurse now operate the Western Urgent Care GP out-of-hours service across Londonderry, Limavady, Strabane, Omagh and Enniskillen during the Red-Eye Shift - between midnight and 8.30am.

A reduction in the number of doctors from 5 to 3 on the shift was "necessary to bring expenditure into line with available funds and to deliver a more efficient service," Mr Paul Cavanagh Commissioning Lead of the Health and Social Care Board informed Derry City Council.

Last week the Sentinel reported that the cuts will result in an annual saving of 10.6 per cent on the overall running costs of the service in April.

Now Health Minister Michael McGimpsey advises that the rationale for the cuts was the low patient demand for the service and the consequent low doctor workload.

Responding to queries from the East Londonderry DUP and Sinn Fin MLAs George Robinson and Billy Leonard he also said the reduction would have no effect on A&E Departments at the Altnagelvin and Causeway hospitals.

Said Mr McGimpsey: "Out of Hours services in the Western area are commissioned by the Health and Social Care Board and provided by Western Urgent Care.

"The criteria used by the western office of the HSCB in realigning OOH services was the workload experienced by GPs in each of the 5 centres."

He also stated: "The decision to reduce the number of GPs in WUC between midnight and 8.30am was based on the low numbers of patients contacting the service after midnight.

"In the Limavady area an average of 5 patients contact WUC after midnight and of those 2 or 3 would require a face-to-face consultation with a GP.

"Patients from the Limavady area who require a face-face consultation with an OOHs GP will receive a home visit, if appropriate, or attend the Limavady OOHs centre. All patients will continue to be seen within the timescales specified in the NI Quality Standards.

"WUC provides urgent GP OOHs services; medical emergencies are dealt with by A&E departments in Altnagelvin and Causeway Hospitals. It is not envisaged that there will be any impact on the workload of A&E Departments due to the reconfiguration of the out-of-hours service after midnight."