Midoc GP service closure reveals 'expensive failure' insists Laois representative

The imminent shutdown of Midoc in Laois and other Midland counties confirms that privatising health services is an expensive is a failure according to local Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley.

The Laois Offaly TD issued a statement in the wake of the out-of-hours GP service shutting down after some two decades of operation due to what the HSE said were 'financial challenges'.

“The closure of the Midoc out of ours service for the midlands is yet another sign of policy failure by successive governments when it comes to providing basic health services. Privatisation, despite been expensive is a failure.

“Despite having one of the best funded health systems in the world, our primary care/GP system is broken. GP practices are on overload and now out of hour’s services for the midlands is in jeopardy. I have had complaints recently from people who had difficulty trying to access normal daytime GP and out of hours services," he said.

The Laois-based TD said this in turn is now adding to the huge pressures on hospital A&E departments as many people cannot access primary care services  even during normal working hours.

Dep Stanley, who chairs the Dáil Public Accounts Committee that investigates public spending, insisted that private delivery backed by the State is not working for taxpayers.

"The reliance  by government on a patchwork of hundreds of private companies to provide basic health services is failing the public. We are supposed to be moving to a proper publicly owned national health system called “Slainte Care”. The collapse of the private company called Midoc underlines the need yet again to accelerate this process," he said.

He demanded a short term solution.

"The HSE must move quickly to put in place out-of-hours GP cover. They have the network of Midoc buildings in Laois/ Offaly and in the other midlands counties. If they have to directly employ GP to staff them,  they should proceed immediately to do so.

"I have contacted HSE senior management to impress on them the urgency of the situation and requesting that interim measures be put in place immediately," he said.

Out of hours GP service for Laois and midlands to shut over 'financial challenges'

Established in 2002, MIDOC was formed by a group of local GPs. There are treatment centres in Tullamore, Portlaoise, Mullingar, Longford and Athlone.

Midoc GP opening hours in Laois and midlands over Christmas and New Year

The HSE said just before Christmas that there would be out of hours GP care through Christmas and on January 1-2 when a 24 hour service would be provided.