Midoc hours cut in Birr

Changes to Offaly's Midoc GP Out of Hours service have this week caused upset in Birr and Edenderry alike. In Birr the hours are to be cut, while the hours proposed for a new Midoc service in Edenderry is causing dissatisfaction, as the HSE plans to centralise the service in Tullamore with satellite centres in the other two towns. Full service hours in Birr were cut from last Tuesday, with the service operating in the area now from just 8pm to 10pm Monday to Friday and from 10am to 7pm at weekends and on public holidays. The changes were put in place by the HSE as part of plans to expand the Midoc service shortly to cover the entire population of the midlands. However proposed opening hours for a new Midoc service in Edenderry are the cause of dissatisfaction there too. Offaly's Midoc service in the future will be provided by a treatment centre on the grounds of Tullamore hospital, with satellite treatment centres in Birr and Edenderry. The centralised treatment centre set to open "shortly" according to the HSE is to open from 6pm to 8am Monday to Friday, with 24 hour cover at weekends and on public holidays. A West Offaly satellite treatment centre in Birr will have opening hours as previously detailed, while a centre in Edenderry also yet to open will offer cover from 11am until 5pm on Saturdays and from 11am to 1pm on Sundays and public holidays. "I wouldn't be happy with that," Edenderry councillor Noel Bourke said regarding proposed opening hours at Edenderry yesterday (Thursday). "What we're looking for is a full service. We'll be following that up." Meanwhile Birr councillor Michael Campbell isn't happy at the cut to service hours in his area, referring to it as "a colossal downgrading". "What's going to happen now I don't know," he said. "The bottom line is don't get sick in Birr after 10pm." The councillor said he can also see the new arrangement "clogging up A&E" in Tullamore. A HSE statement said reconfiguration of existing Midoc services were required to expand the service on a cost neutral basis. A decision to "reorganise" the service has been taken, the statement continues, "in the context of a need to ensure the maximum level and quality of service is provided to the entire Midlands population". The statement said levels of activity across existing sites were taken into account as part of a Midoc review. Activity of on average one to two calls after midnight, with only one person required to attend the centre, were recorded at Birr over a three month period from September to November. In the same period the statement said there was on average one callout per night, and sometimes no calls of that nature after midnight.