Welcome for postponement of NEDOC changes

Local TD Brendan Smith has welcomed news that planned changes to the local Doc-on-Call service have been postponed.

NEDOC confirmed to The Anglo-Celt last month that it had postponed cutbacks it was implementing to allow for discussions with the HSE.

The organisation had cited increasing costs and a lack of funding from the HSE to continue providing the same level of service.

The Minister for Health has now confirmed the changes have been put back to January 2023 to allow for engagement between the bodies, something welcomed by Fianna Fail Deputy Smith.

“I welcome the confirmation from the Minister for Health that following recent discussions and correspondence between the HSE and the Board of North East Doctor on call in relation to its proposal to reconfigure its GP out-of-hours service from early this month, it has been agreed that any proposed changes that NEDOC Ltd were suggesting have now been put back to January 2023 to facilitate an examination of the NEDOC Ltd operation.”

The changes were to come into effect from this week, something Deputy Smith says would have had a profound impact on locals.

“NEDOC GP out-of-hours co-operative had informed the HSE of its intention to reconfigure its GP out-of-hours service with effect from August 2022 with no availability of late night in-person GP consultations. Such a proposed reduction in services would impact on patients throughout this region and it is essential that the existing level of services continue due to the importance of this healthcare provision on an ongoing basis.”