Catherine O’Donohoe: The GP locum crisis is adding to the pressure on our health system

Unable to get an appointment at a private practice, too many patients head to already overcrowded emergency departments

In 2022, Hiqa said: 'The shortage of GPs across Ireland has resulted in delayed access to GPs and limited access to practices, as many are unable to take on new patients.' Picture: Anthony Devlin/PA

HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster has taken the rare step this month of cancelling most of the scheduled care in the Mid-West region, across its hospitals in Limerick (UHL, Croom, St John’s), in Clare (Ennis), and in Tipperary (Nenagh).

The duration of this cancellation is uncertain, with Mr Gloster stating that he would like to think that “it’s in the category of weeks”.