THE CRISIS in medical manpower is such that mothers cannot find family doctors to vaccinate their newborn babies, the annual meeting of the Irish Medical Organisation has heard.
Dr Illona Duffy, a general practitioner in Monaghan town, told the IMO's annual conference it was no longer possible for new patients to register with doctors in Cavan, Monaghan and Carrickmacross. She said she was also concerned that the safety of existing patients could be compromised by the shortage of doctors.
"I know women who, because they cannot find a doctor, have been forced to attend accident and emergency departments in order to renew a prescription for the contraceptive pill," she said.
"Mothers who have just had a baby are contacting the Health Service Executive (HSE) because they cannot get a family doctor to give the child its vaccinations against polio, diphtheria, tetanus and other infectious diseases."
Dr Duffy explained that doctors had been forced to close their lists in order to protect the safety of existing patients. As practices become busier and were offering more comprehensive care, GPs had no option but to close their lists to both private and public patients.
Dr Martin White, a GP in Co Meath, said doctors in the region were trying to maintain a good quality of care for their existing patients. He, too, was deeply concerned about safety issues and the need to protect patients.
Referring to Carrickmacross, Dr White said the town has eight GPs working in two highly-developed practices, which have been closed to new patients for some time. "People have no access to a GP unless they travel to neighbouring towns," he added.
"Even for existing patients, because we (in the Republic) have list sizes of twice the EU average, there is a need for more general practitioners." The meeting heard the manpower crisis is affecting other areas also, with people experiencing particular difficulty registering with a GP in deprived areas of major cities throughout the State. Doctors unanimously passed a motion calling on both the IMO and the Minister for Health to declare the "rapidly worsening" GP manpower shortage a national emergency.
There was sustained criticism of the HSE for the "spin" it was putting on the pace of development of primary care teams. Creating community-based teams of GPs, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dieticians and psychologists, designed to take the pressure off hospital services, is a key plank in the strategy adapted by HSE chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm.
Newly-elected chairman of the IMO GP committee Dr Ronan Boland said: "The primary care teams are not happening, no matter what you hear from the HSE."