Shannondoc is maintaining its out-of-hours GP service at a limited number of centres in the region.
The service, which covers north Tipperary, Limerick and Clare, has had to make changes in order to protect GPs, front-line staff and patients.
Attendances are down at out-of-hours clinics and some healthcare staff are in self isolation, leading them to temporarily streamline services into its treatment centres at Nenagh, Ennis, Miltown Malbay, Limerick City and Newcastle West.
The public are reminded that Shannondoc, like all out-of-hours GP services, should be firstly contacted by phone where symptoms will be triaged by a nurse.
Full Shannondoc statement, Tuesday March 24th, 2020
Shannondoc, the out-of-hours GP service for the Mid-West region, has today reaffirmed that all patients will continue to be treated as required.
However, necessary and inevitable changes are being implemented to its service to protect its GPs, its front-line staff and patients in the current COVID-19 crisis.
Attendances at Shannondoc’s out-of-hours clinics are down, a number of healthcare staff, including GPs, are in self-isolation and restricted movement and Shannondoc has, as a result, introduced appropriate changes to ensure that all areas in the Mid-West are covered during this crisis.
After an emergency board meeting to deal with the Coronavirus crisis, the following measures are being implemented:
- Appointment of a dedicated team to monitor, review and manage the current situation as it evolves on a daily basis
- Curtail physical patient contact where clinically appropriate, with all patients receiving a full clinical triage nurse assessment
- Where required, doctors will screen patients over the phone prior to presenting to a treatment centre
- Introduce a consolidated model of service operating from the overnight Treatment Centres – Limerick city and Newcastlewest in Co. Limerick; Miltown Malbay and Ennis in Co. Clare and Nenagh in North Tipperary
- The central call centre will remain fully operational
Shannondoc Chairman Pat Morrissey said: “We are in extraordinary times and Shannondoc is part of the frontline response. Public health and the health of our doctors, front-line staff and our patients is our priority so we are taking these measures in their interest.
“Shannondoc is liaising fully with the HSE and is committed to providing support to protect the health and welfare of the population of the Mid-West in these challenging times.”
