Doc on call... after call, after call: 'We’re already 70% booked out by 8.30am every morning'

Ireland does not have enough GPs to meet our needs — and this shortfall can have serious consequences

Left: Dr Laura Cullen at the Marino Medical Centre, Bantry, Co Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan; and Right: Dr Mike Thompson at Imokilly medical centre in Midleton. Picture Eddie O'Hare

GPs are the cornerstone of our healthcare system. Whenever we have a health issue, we are told to contact them for advice on how to treat it.

But what happens if they are unavailable? What if we have to wait days, even weeks, for an appointment? This is happening nationwide, as Ireland experiences a shortage of GPs.