Write a commentFollowing comments from Local MLA Mickey Brady regarding the Newry GP Out of Hours Service a spokesperson for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust has issued a statement.
In a statement the spokesperson said “The Trust refutes the allegation that the Out of Hours service in Newry has been closed on a regular number of occasions.
We want to reassure the public that the GP Out of Hours service in Newry and across the Southern Trust Area has never been closed to patients.
The GP Out of Hours Service provides services to the total Southern Trust population of approximately 360,000 people. This is a telephone-based service (you have to ring first) and is always available from 6.00 pm each weekday evening and available 24 hours a day on Saturdays and Sundays and Bank Holidays.
We have been experiencing difficulties for some time in filling GP shifts in the Out of Hours service. While the service was not fully staffed overnight on Monday 5 January, all patients who needed the GP OOH service received a telephone consultation, appointment at Daisy Hill Hospital base or a home visit.
We continue to make every effort to ensure that reduced opening times at our GP Out of Hours are kept to a minimum and we want to remind people that they should always phone the GP Out of Hours first on Tel: 028 3839 9201.
Finally, Mr Brady also suggests that “vital medication” wasn’t available on the hospital site on a particular occasion and the Trust has asked for more detailed information before this could be investigated fully.”sxc.hu
