Drop in patients at GP service

PATIENT numbers at a GP out-of-hours service in the mid-west fell last year for the first time since the scheme was established in 2001.

Shannondoc’s annual report showed the number of calls dropped by 4%.

Shannondoc serves a population of 275,000 people across Co Clare, north Tipperary and Co Limerick.

In September, Shannondoc extended its service to Limerick city and now provides coverage to 50% of the city’s population.

Shannondoc manager Larry Maher said yesterday that Shannondoc hopes to further extend its services across the city.

The service handled 95,681 calls last year, compared to 99,470 calls in 2009.

The report cites several factors for the decline:

* The general falloff in numbers attending out-of-hours services;

* A fall in numbers due to population movement;

* Swine flu inflating the 2009 numbers by 5.25%.

As a result of the drop, Shannondoc’s income fell by 5.5% to €6 million.

However, Shannondoc recorded a €7,325 surplus last year, compared to a loss of €141,487 in 2009.

The figures show funding from the HSE to the service last year was down from €4.86m to €4.74m.

The numbers employed fell by one to 130. This includes 47 medical staff, 43 drivers and 40 people in administration.