JUNIOR doctors withdrew their services from outpatients attending University College Hospital, Galway, yesterday. The action was to protest against "intolerable working conditions" and "unacceptable" delays for cases being brought into the casualty department.
With consultants taking over treatment of outpatients, the immediate effects of the action appeared minimal, but it could cause more serious disruption if escalated.
The action signalled the start of a campaign by non consultant doctors for more of them to be assigned to the hospital's accident and emergency department.
The doctors, backed by the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), claim that not only is the casualty department understaffed but at certain times doctors have to provide cover for it even while doing duty in their own specialties in other parts of the hospital.
They say that on the eve of the strike action they asked that three additional doctors be temporarily assigned to accident and emergency, but the Western Health Board refused.
Mr Billy Moran, general manager of the hospital, said the doctors were aware that a new department was to be provided as part of an interim development plan approved for the hospital.
He said an agreement existed between the hospital management and the IMO on 24 hour medical cover for the accident and emergency department. The agreement provided for doctors to be on duty there from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. as the workload warranted. Between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m., when emergency demands were usually lower, cover was provided by a surgical team on duty in the hospital.
"With the increasing workload in the accident and emergency department, the Western Health Board has sought approval and funding from the Department of Health for additional medical and nursing staff to phase in the planned enhanced services, and this is being actively considered," he said.
The IMO claims that for the past 16 months it has been trying to resolve with the health board the issue of conditions in the casualty area.