Call to expand out-of-hours GP services in one of Tipperary's main towns

Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill is calling for a 24/7 Shannon Doc service to be opened in Thurles.

In a video on social media, the deputy said that there is only one core centre in north Tipperary.

This, he said, needs to change before the winter.

“Thurles needs a 24/7 Shannon Doc service. I’ve been lobbying for this continuously with Minister Donnelly,” said Mr Cahill.

Mr Cahill said that the ideal location for the service would be the Thurles Primary Care Centre, which was officially opened last November.

He said a second centre in the north of the county would take pressure of UHL.

“I will continue to lobby to have this 24/7 service in Thurles, and hopefully we will get it for the forthcoming winter,” said Mr Cahill.

Shannondoc

Shannondoc currently provides out-of-hours GP care in Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary. It offers care in treatment centres, over-the-phone nurse advice and home visits.

It has three centres in Tipperary, in Nenagh Roscrea and Thurles.

However, only Nenagh provides overnight service between 6pm and 8am. Thurles and Roscrea are open between 6pm and 11pm on weekdays and 9am to 10pm on weekends and bank holidays.

Both Mr Cahill and fellow Tipperary TD Michael Lowry have raised concerns about the 11pm closure of services in Thurles and Roscrea in the Oireachtas.

They have told government ministers that given the size of the county, one overnight service is not enough.

Tipperarylive is advised that the provision of out-of-hours GP services is under the remit of the local Community Health Organisation in the HSE.

We requested information from the CHO in relation to this story. However, no response was received at time of print.