24-hour Midoc service needed in Laois as it’s ‘almost impossible’ to get GP

A Laois TD has called for Midoc to open for longer hours in Portlaoise as people are finding it “almost impossible” to get a GP.

The Midoc service in Portlaoise is open seven days a week and operates for 24 hours on Saturdays and Sunday, then 6pm to 8am on weekdays.

However, Laois TD Sean Fleming has urged that this must be extended due to the lack of availability with GPs in the county.

Deputy Fleming has called on the HSE to provide a GP service in the Midoc Centre in Portlaoise and to operate this from Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.

He pointed out that the service already operates 118 hours a week and is covering 70% of the hours each week.

The Fianna Fáil TD argued that this is just an additional 50 hours of service every week.

Explaining his point of view, Deputy Fleming said: “Everybody knows it is extremely difficult, if not almost impossible, to get onto a GP list in the Portlaoise area. Many people have exhausted themselves trying to get a GP in Portlaoise and surrounding areas.

“The population of Portlaoise is growing on an ongoing basis and the HSE have not provided an appropriate suitable service to cover this.”

Deputy Fleming argued that in the absence of these extra service hours, more strain is put on the A&E departments in hospitals.

“Finally, I would say it is in the interest of the HSE to provide this service as otherwise many people go straight to A&E who cannot get a doctor’s appointment locally. This is not the way the HSE should be running its A&E department.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme