Shannondoc has been asked to defer changes to its services for a month, as efforts are made to resolve some of the issues that led it to announce its planned cutbacks.
The call will be considered, but the changes are going ahead for now
Shannondoc cited a shortage of GPs for its move to scale back its service in Kilrush, Ennistymon and Killaloe.
The move led to huge concern in the areas affected, and this was in evidence as around 200 people attended a public meeting on the issue in Kilrush last night.
There, Shannondoc CEO Mike Finucane again insisted that money was not the issue, as the meeting heard how the number of GPs in West Clare has fallen from 10 to 7, and could soon drop to as low as four.
It was also claimed that it's more difficult to hire locums to work out of hours, in part because of issues surrounding immigration laws and another on taxation.
TDs in attendance will now explore whether a 23% VAT charge on locum costs can be waived, and as they do this Fianna Fáil's Timmy Dooley called on Shannondoc to defer its planned changes for one month.
He hopes a resolution can be found.
Shannondoc is to take the call to defer its changes under consideration – for now they go ahead.
A committee was also formed by the organisers of last night's meeting as Kilrush called for thefull re-instatement of the service there.
