Talks begin over future of NoWDOC service

The HSE has confirmed that the future of the NoWDOC service is under review.

They say 'exploratory talks' have begun and HSE chiefs say these discussions are an attempt to find 'the most effective' way to deliver the service.

NoWDOC is a partnership between the GP members of Caredoc and the HSE and provides an urgent GP service to patients in Donegal and south Leitrim.

Sources say that Caredoc could be about to take complete charge of the service.

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There is currently a centre in Letterkenny which is able to triage patients. Donegal Live understands that new plans would see this service taken out of Letterkenny.

The current system for out of hours services is managed by the HSE as part of a hybrid model with Caredoc.

A HSE spokesperson told Donegal Live that talks are underway between 'relevant stakeholders'.

”The HSE are continuing to work in partnership with NoWDOC & Caredoc to ensure that the public using the GP Out of Hours Service, and the staff working in the service, are provided with the necessary supports to deliver the best care to our service users, while ensuring that patient safety and quality of service are at the forefront of service delivery,” the HSE said in a statement to Donegal Live.

“Exploratory discussions have commenced with relevant stakeholders surrounding the most effective arrangements needed to continue to deliver a safe quality driven service for our community, while also focusing on the need to examine the potential redesign of the operating model for the GP Out of Hours service in Donegal and south Leitrim going forward.”

The HSE says it remains 'fully committed' to supporting staff who are working in our NoWDOC service.

The statement said: “We will ensure that we are engaging with staff directly and with their representative bodies throughout these discussions.

“The HSE will continue to communicate and engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure they are fully appraised of and consulted on any future developments.”