Doctor shock for Galway patients – served from Roscommon base

Large swathes of the county – some within 20 minutes of Galway city – are now serviced at night by GPs based in Roscommon town….a full 80 kilometres in the other direction.

And the HSE has admitted it has “concerns” over the baffling arrangement that sees locum doctors from Roscommon covering out-of-hours GP services in the wider Craughwell area.

“It makes no sense,” said Galway/Roscommon Independent TD, Denis Naughten.

“What it means is that if you are living in Craughwell or you are in the Craughwell catchment area, and you need a GP at night on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday from midnight to 8am, that doctor will have to travel from Roscommon Town to see you.

“It takes one hour and eight minutes at that time to travel from Roscommon to Craughwell. Depending on the GP it would be between 70 to 80 kilometres,” he said.

The revelation was confirmed to Deputy Naughten by Siobhán O’Sullivan, temporary area manager for Galway and Roscommon PCCC (Primary Community and Continuing Care).

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.