Doctors are being sought to establish an out-of-hours treatment service in north Dublin to ease the strain on hospital accident and emergency wards, it emerged today.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) said the emergency service would provide patients needing urgent treatment outside normal surgery hours with more appropriate choices and convenient access to high quality services.
Tadhg O'Brien, assistant national director for primary community care services in North Dublin, said: "We believe this is a very positive initiative which will provide very tangible benefits for the community and practical support for GP practices in the area.
"It will also ensure that people who need a family doctor outside surgery hours will be able to access high quality services in North Dublin and it will provide patients with more appropriate choices."
The HSE is seeking interested GPs, practices of GPs and qualified organisations to develop the emergency doctors services in the north of the capital.
Health bosses said the new services were necessary to address the heavy workload facing GPs in the area and cater for the growing population.
Figures have shown the number of patients requiring urgent GP services outside the normal surgery hours is between four and six per 1,000 people per week.
North Dublin's population stands at around 500,000, which would mean around 2,000 patients per week need access to urgent out-of-hours GP services in the area.
Based on the models operating in most regions outside Dublin, the Out of Hours Treatment Centre model will include a centralised call assessment centre with a number of out-of-hours treatment centres located throughout the areas. Patients will contact the call assessment centre by ringing a low call 1850 telephone number.
The centre will be staffed by call takers and triage nurses to co-ordinate patient queries and advice on the appropriate level of care.
The patient treatment centres will be staffed by qualified GPs, clinical nurses and support staff and will be open between 6pm and 8am from Monday to Friday, throughout the entire weekend and on Bank Holidays.
The centres will treat people on the General Medical Scheme and private patients, while those requiring a home visit will also be attended by GPs.
PA