Last-minute deal halts closure of out-of-hours GP service in the Midlands

Sarah Slater

An eleventh hour temporary deal to halt the closure of a vital out-of-hours GP service in the Midlands from shutting on New Year’s Day has been found.

The Midlands GP service MIDOC, which has been running for 20 years, and covers the counties of Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath with a combined population of 300,000, has come under financial strain.

Established in 2002, MIDOC was formed by a group of local GPs.

The private GP company which runs the service, MIDOC GP CLG, will stop operating. However, local GP Seán Fleming, based in Portlaoise, said in a statement: “Extensive discussions between the HSE [Health Service Executive], local GPs and Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) have ensured that the current out-of-hours GP service will continue as normal.”

Dr Fleming said that a long term solution remains some way off. “I’m urging all parties to continue their discussions to ensure that we secure an out of hours GP service that works best for the public and medical practitioners.

“In summary, any threat to the service for Laois and the Midlands has been averted, but work on the provision of future services is ongoing,” he added.

Former Justice, Foreign Affairs Minister and local TD Charlie Flanagan said that he was shocked and saddened to hear that the out-of-hours medical service MIDOC was threatened with closure, but “pleased an interim solution has been found.”

Deputy Flanagan called on Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly to intervene and ensure this vital medical service continues for Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath on Christmas Eve.

In a statement, the HSE said that in the short-term and “to mitigate the risks, through a third party” the Executive has put in place what it said is “appropriate cover based on normal and scheduled GP Out Of Hours practice and rosters.”

This, the Executive added, is to ensure that the necessary supports are in place to deliver the “best care to our service users”, while patient safety and quality are at the forefront.

In addition, the Executive said that it is in the process of seeking an alternative provider which it hopes to have in place in the coming months.

The HSE has added it will “continue to communicate and engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure they are fully appraised of and consulted on any future developments”.

It remains unclear if the service will be publicly or privately run in the future.