Limited access to GPs in Donegal and elsewhere possible on Wednesday as doctors take to the streets

As the INMO confirm following yesterday's meeting in Dublin that they are escalating their strike action plans, the General Practitioners of Ireland are now also warning that there may be limited access nationwide to GP services for patients this Wednesday.

This Wednesday (February 6) the General Practitioners of Ireland will take to the streets to march on Dáil Éireann. Hundreds of GPs, some of them expected to be from Donegal will congregate on Kildare and Molesworth Street at 2pm.

The NAGP say their voices will add to the growing number healthcare professionals who are witnessing first-hand the complete meltdown of our health service.

Dr Andrew Jordan Chair of the NAGP said: "We are calling on this Government to immediately reverse cuts that have been inflicted on General Practice that are dangerously impacting on patient and doctor safety."

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) has seen 38% in cuts in resources to General Practice over the last decade. This has meant that practices the length and breadth of the country have had to cut services to match these swingeing cuts.

Referring to the protest on Wednesday, Dr Andrew Jordan warned: "Unfortunately, in certain parts of the country there may be limited access to GP services for patients on this day."

"We are becoming increasingly alarmed at the speed of the demise of General Practice," he said

At a recent NAGP meeting the warning from GPs was stark: "The citizens of Ireland maybe looking at the last generation of General Practice as we know it."

Dr Andrew Jordan continued: “Future generations will be relying on hospitals to provide their healthcare unless urgent intervention to save General Practice is implemented by this government. Currently this government is killing General Practice. 

Dr Maitiu O Tuathail President of the NAGP said “This is why GPs from all over Ireland will be protesting on Wednesday, 6th February. We are sick of saying sorry to our patients - sorry you cannot find a GP to register with, sorry you have to wait more than a week to get an appointment”.

Dr O Tuathail said: “The reality is our newly qualified vocational GPs are emigrating as they cannot deliver the service they were trained to do. Established GPs are having to retire early due to burnout and stress.”

“The number of doctors who have closed their lists to new patients is now running at 70%. This is effectively the latest scandal in the Irish health service," he said.