This article is from page 6 of the 2013-02-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
THE majority of GPs in Clare are signed up to be involved in primary care teams, although “one or two” remain outside the new HSE initiative.
At a special presentation into Primary Care Centres in Limerick last month, it was revealed that a number of GPs throughout the mid-west area were not taking part in the programme.
In Clare however the majority of GPs have signed up according to the programmes co-ordinator Alice McGinley.
The teams are made up of GPs, practice nurses and other health professionals who provide a single point of contact to the health system for a patient. There are 11 teams in Clare with the Westbury team coming under Limerick for convenience and access.
In rural areas these teams are often spread over a number of areas, with more urban areas striving to put all services under one roof.
Ennis is close to getting a Primary Care Centre for its four primary care teams, but it is yet unclear what GPs will relocate to the one stop shop.
Not all GPs that are signed up to the primary care teams are required to be under the same roof as the team of other health professionals, but they will attend team meetings every two weeks to discuss patients’ care.
Ms McGinley admitted that patients of GPs who are part of the primary care teams are likely to be streamlined into follow on services such as physiotherapy quicker than those outside the system, as their doctor will be working in a team environment directly with the professional.
She explained that prior to the formation of the primary care teams people over 65 years of age in Clare requiring physiotherapy were sent to St Joseph’s Hospital and those under 65 were sent to Ennis General Hospital. Under this new system patients will be referred directly to the physiotherapist in the community’s care team, irrespective of what age they are.
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