Inishowen Nowdoc appointments more than doubled over holiday period

Nowdoc face-to-face appointments in Inishowen over Christmas and the new year more than doubled compared to the same period last year.

The out-of-hours doctor service, which has been under severe pressure due to flu and the emergence of Covid–19, saw the number of calls it received increase from 916 to 964 while doctor telephone advice calls increased from 73 to 107.

Face-to-face appointments between doctors and patients increased to 581 from 243 while nurse telephone advice calls dropped from 213 to 173.

The figures from the HSE released following a query from The Inish Times show there were 46 doctor consultation calls compared to 205 in the same period the previous year, while home visits increased by one to 36. The number of calls for information dropped to 21 from 147.

The figures come amid concern for the future of the Nowdoc service in Donegal after it emerged that a review into out-of-hours services in the north-west is being carried out.

As well as the centre in Carndonagh, the service has centres in Letterkenny, Derrybeg and Mountcharles with a satellite centre for Montcharles serving Ballyshannon and Bundoran.

Members of the regional health forum are to attend a “high-level briefing” with HSE officials on the review of the out-of-hours service on Friday following a request by the chair of the forum, Letterkenny councillor Gerry McMonagle.

Confirming the briefing, Dermot Monaghan - the HSE’s chief officer for community healthcare in Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo - said no decision has been taken on the future direction of the service, adding that the model is being reexamined “after clinical concerns were raised with us by the GP clinical director and GP board members”.

He said “active, and intensive, engagements with the union reps and our staff are ongoing at very regular intervals, both verbally and in writing”.

It is understood that possible changes to the operation of the out-of-hours service in the north-west could see Caredoc, which supplies GPs for the Nowdoc service, having a bigger role in the running of the service.

The review is to include the possibility that the Nowdoc call centre and triage will no longer be based in Letterkenny and will instead operate out of Carlow.

Inishowen councillor Albert Doherty, a member of the regional health forum, said Nowdoc staff have raised concerns about the future of the service.

Concerns about the future of the Nowdoc centre in Carndonagh should be removed, he said.
At times, the service has had just one doctor covering the peninsula, he said.

“If that doctor is called away “everything just comes to a standstill”.

“I want it confirmed that it will be utilised and continue to be utilised as a centre. It is a service that has in the past been found wanting and there has to be the provision of improved and enhanced services at Carndonagh and I am calling for additional resources.”