Carrickmore Health Centre ‘in crisis’ over GP shortage

A CRISIS Response team from the Department for Health is currently supporting Carrickmore Health Centre due to a shortage of GPs.

The health centre, one of Tyrone’s largest GP practices with thousands of patients, warned that it is facing a ‘crisis situation’ over ‘significant shortages’ in relation to the availability of GPs.

The Department of Health said that it is currently working with the health centre to address the situation. The Department has put in place a General Practice Improvement and Crisis Response team.

This team incorporates expert GP managerial support and improved access to clinical GP cover at short notice for practices at high risk or in a crisis.

In a statement, Carrickmore Health Centre warned that there may be some days when there are only one or two GPs in the building.

“The doctors will be doing their utmost to provide an ongoing service for their patients in these scenarios, however, this may result in acute/emergency coverage only,” the health centre said.

“All measures to increase GP coverage are being exhausted continually and Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) and Department for Health have been notified of our circumstances.”

The situation facing the practices comes just months that it warned there could be ‘serious repercussions’ if there isn’t major investment in new facilities.

The practice covers a large rural area, including Carrickmore, Pomeroy, Beragh, Greencastle, Sixmilecross and Galbally. It had to stop registering new patients in 2021 due to a lack of space.

Sinn Fein’s Roisin Devine-Gallagher described the situation as “deeply concerning.”

“We need to see the injection of additional financial resources and health-care professionals to support the staff who are currently working there,” she said/.

“I will continue to advocate and press for the further strengthening of services at the practice. There is the need for financial commitment for the roll out of multi-disciplinary teams and a business case to identify the preferred option for capital investment.”

In a statement, the Department of Health said that it is aware that the Carrickmore Health Centre is having issues with GP cover for some sessions.

“The aim is to support GP Practices at risk to develop and implement an effective Practice Recovery Plan to ensure delivery of contractual obligations to their registered patients. This will include advice on management issues and GP clinical cover,” a spokesperson added.

“We understand the GPs are having to prioritise patients based on those with the most urgent clinical need. Like many GP practices across Northern Ireland, demand for GP services is outstripping capacity to provide it.”