WESTDOC SAYS SECOND DOCTOR NOT NEEDED IN SOUTH CONNEMARA

Date Published: 21-Nov-2008

It’s been decided to only have one doctor on emergency weekend services for a large area of south Connemara following a 4 month study.

Westdoc, the emergency night time and weekend doctors service, says the number of doctor visits at the weekend doesn’t justify a second doctor in the area from Lettermullen west to Carna – that’s a distance of 80 kilometres by road.

It received between 35 and 45 calls per weekend, but says up to 90 calls would have to be made in order to justify a second doctor.

Westdoc operates just ten weekends of the year in South Connemara, with local doctors providing cover the rest of the year.

Westdoc manager Siobhan O’Sullivan believes despite the large distances, a second doctor isn’t needed.