'Don't blame GPs' for SouthDoc woes, warns Cork doctor

The out-of-hours GP service has come under scrutiny after the prolonged closure of bases in Blackpool and Listowel

SouthDoc is not efficient, claims Co Cork GP. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

One of the GPs manning SouthDoc has described the service as “not fit for purpose” and said there is “no reason” for Cork City to have two out-of-hours GP hubs.

The out-of-hours GP service for the Cork-Kerry area had come in for harsh criticism in political circles after two of its 23 centres, at Blackpool in Cork City and Listowel in Co Kerry, remained closed for over a year following the advent of Covid-19.

However, Midleton, Co Cork-based GP Mike Thompson has said that doctors who are expected to provide 24-hour-service in addition to their own practices are in an “unwinnable situation”.

“It’s a bit rich to think that people in Cork City cannot get a taxi across to the other SouthDoc centre when people on the Beara Peninsula are 40 minutes away from their nearest facility,” Dr Thompson said.

SouthDoc did not respond to a request for comment regarding Dr Thompson’s statements.

It previously emerged that the service had kept the two clinics at Blackpool and Listowel closed despite its funding having increased by €200,000 in 2021.

The HSE subsequently said that it was not in a position to penalise SouthDoc for having kept the two outlets closed as there was “no evidence that they weren’t providing a service”.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Dr Thompson said that “SouthDoc is not fit for purpose”.

“There seems to be this idea that there’s a god-given right that Cork city should have two bases,” he said.

He said that providing such out-of-hours care is no longer sustainable, with the situation as he sees it “unapologetically stark, apocalyptic”.

“We can’t get people to work in Midleton because they’ll go to Cork where they’ll be on call more infrequently,” he said.

He said that the issues with GP care in Ireland can be traced back to the 1970 GP contract put in place between doctors and the State, which has been the subject of protracted negotiations regarding its redrafting for years.

“The contract is historical. It fits the old, 'pale, male, and stale' stereotype. We should be moving with the times,” he said. “25% of Cork county’s doctors are due to retire within the next five years. The only way to deal with those retirements is to get rid of after-hours care. Otherwise, eventually, the quality of care will go down.”

He said the only patients he should be seeing as part of out-of-hours care, other than emergencies, are nursing home and palliative care callouts. 

“About 80% of the SouthDoc calls I get are routine, which is a mockery. It should be urgent care only.

"SouthDoc opened in 2005 with 27 doctors for 42,000 people. Now we’ve double the population but just five more doctors.

"You can’t blame the GPs when you can’t get an appointment,” he said.