GPs from North and South Connemara have expressed an interest in joining the out-of-hours GP service, Westdoc.

GPs from the Clifden, Roundstone, Carna, Rosmuc Lettermore and Carraroe areas expressed their interest at a meeting held last week. An expression of interest was also received from Renvyle.

The meeting explored how the Westdoc Remote Rural Support Scheme might operate and deal with the particular issues relating to the geography and road network in Connemara.

The Westdoc Rural Support Service was established to provide support to GPs in rural areas with a large geographical region, low population density, few doctors and difficulties in filling GP positions. It involves the provision of a locum doctor and all the Westdoc Support services to an area, on an agreed schedule for a designated number of weekends. The proposal being discussed involves alternate ten weekends for North West Connemara and ten weekends for South West Connemara. All other weekends and all weekday arrangements would remain as is.

Where the Remote Rural Support Service is in operation and patients require emergency or urgent GP medical care, they will be directed to contact the Westdoc lo-call phone number. A call handler will take basic details and the call will be passed to a trained triage nurse, who will agree a course of action with the patient. The triage nurse may be able to advise the patient or will arrange a consultation with the doctor at a local treatment centre or at their residence, as appropriate. Where a home visit is required, the doctor will be transported to the call in a Westdoc Jeep, driven by a local driver. Reports on all contacts with Westdoc are made available to the patient's own GP by the following Monday morning.

The Remote Rural Support Service has been in operation successfully in Belmullet and Achill for the last year.

Westdoc is making its support available, should the doctors in these areas wish to adopt this scheme. However, Westdoc has made it clear to all concerned that it is a matter of individual doctor choice as to whether they join Westdoc or not. The HSE will continue to work with the interested GPs to develop the project.

At present, GPs who work on their own or who share a rota with only one other GP are already being significantly financially supported by the HSE, according to the authority.

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