RoeDoc cuts to go ahead despite huge objections

The new arrangements mean that from midnight until 8.30am, people in Limavady and Strabane will be covered by doctors in Londonderry. During these hours there will be no base for out-of hours GP care in the borough. Alderman George Robinson, who launched the petition which gathered 6,000 signatures against the "life-threatening" cuts, expressed dismay at the news.

"Firstly I want to thank everyone who tried to get minds changed on this issue and condemn the decision to proceed with the reduction in the service.

"I had a meeting with senior members of Western Urgent Care and the Health Board, who oversee the provision of the Out of Hours GP service, at the beginning of the summer to clarify the issues involved with this reduction in the service. I had proposed ways in which Limavady could be covered but sadly the compromises have not been acceptable from the Minister downwards. I had hoped that after the meeting some compromise could have been reached but sadly this has not been the case."

The DUP MLA accused the Health Mister of 'rejecting' the voice of the Limavady people.

He continued: "The loud and clear voice of the Limavady people has been rejected, despite the Minister having the physical evidence presented to him in the form of a petition containing almost 6,000 names by me in the Assembly. This is a cause of great dismay to me"

"Despite my concentrated efforts to change the minds of those who decide on the level of the out of Hours GP Service; the petition, meetings, Assembly questions to the Minister and even securing a debate on the issue, the decision to reduce this front line service remains. My deep concerns over patient's safety and good outcomes remain."

Mr Robinson says he remains concerned that further frontline services will be the subject of cuts in the future.

He added: "It is a source of deeper concern that frontline health services have been targeted at the very beginning of the budgetary restraint, despite the Minister saying this would not be the case.

"I am deeply disappointed that there has been no change in attitude towards the Out Of Hours GP service for Limavady by the Minister, but then when he has failed to appreciate the severity of a paedophile case, it is no surprise that he does not understand the need for a workable Urgent Care service for Limavady."