A Sligo-based GP, Dr Siobhβn McCormack, said last night she welcomed any initiative in the health strategy to reduce hospital waiting times for patients.
But she warned that hospitals would "get clogged up again" unless there were more GPs trained to cope with the ever-increasing workload imposed on family doctors.
"There are huge demands on us as GPs at the moment. Every month there is something new for us, whether it's vaccinations or more forms to fill. We feel if we were to do our jobs properly in the community we need more time and we haven't enough time. We feel they have to train up more GPs".
She was "wary" that the primary care teams proposed in the strategy could threaten the unique and personal doctor/patient relationship. There was also a danger it would end up in even more bureaucracy, which she described as "the biggest problem" in the health system.
Dr McCormack said doctors in Sligo were undecided on whether to enter GP co-ops. "It's all very well to have co-ops but the days of expecting us to work all night and the next day are gone."