Management of out-of-hours medical service WestDoc has admitted that the service is under "considerable pressure" due to a 20 per cent rise in patients since 2006.

Due to the large number of patients using the service, 18 additional doctors joined the service in 2007, with a further 12 doctors operating in the Westport area.

Approximately 72,000 people contacted the WestDoc service last year.

However, WestDoc Manager Siobhán O'Sullivan has expressed concern that at peak times non-urgent calls could be making it difficult for urgent patients to access the service. She appealed to non-urgent patients to see their GP during surgery hours.

Ms O'Sullivan's concerns were echoed by WestDoc's Clinical Director, Dr Greg Kelly, who said it was essential that emergency patients received immediate care.

"WestDoc's primary concern is to provide emergency and urgent care to patients of participating GPs who become ill outside of regular surgery hours. It is critical that these patients can access the WestDoc Service promptly."

The service experienced further problems over the Christmas/New Year period, with an increase of 25 per cent on average putting staff and doctors under extreme pressure.

As well as providing out of hours care, WestDoc is also set to undertake a laboratory specimen collection and delivery service to all GPs at least three days a week. This means that blood and other laboratory specimens taken by GP's can be guaranteed to be in the various hospital laboratories in the region by mid-afternoon. This service is scheduled to commence in Galway in March 2008.

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