Cancer Patients Struggling to Get Hospital Appointments Due to Pandemic, Expert Claims

Hospital services are a “major concern” for general practice as physicians fight for their patients to be cared for, it has been claimed.

General practitioners have expressed concern about the great difficulties in accessing hospital services.

The chairman of the Irish Medical Organization (IMO) GP Committee, Dr Denis McCauley, said that the more patients are getting closer, the more “pinch points” are developing in the hospital system.

He said that the provision of non-Covid services in the hospital “remains a major issue.”

“One of the big workload problems that we are having right now in general practice is trying to get services for people, some with cancer, in hospital,” he told RTE Morning Ireland.

“Non-Covid services in hospitals are not at a level where I would feel safe and comfortable with.

“They (patients) are showing up, but the pinch points are developing further down the system.

“Of course, if you have cancer, it is very important to get it treated quickly.”

He said reports from GPs struggling to get their patients seen are widespread.

“I think hospital services are really a major concern for general practice, it is taking up a lot of time and causing great concern and morbidity in our populations,” he added.

Dr. McCauley also said that the GP workforce is aging. There are currently 2,500 general practitioners across the country, 1,000 of them over 55 and 500 over 65.

“In the next four to five years 20% of the population will retire,” he warned.

“If the workload increases in general practice, it will have very significant consequences. One of the great jewels we have in general practice in Ireland is that we still have same day service, and anything that increases that capacity will put us on the line. danger”. “