Co-op to take healthcare to rural areas

West-Doc is the name of a new medical co-operative which aims to provide 24hour care in outlying areas through a new centre in Galway city. The co-operative will be modelled on an established co-op in Carlow, and more than 270 similar initiatives throughout Britain.

It will serve both public and private patients, regardless of location. It aims to take some of the hardship out of being a rural general practitioner, while giving the public in peripheral areas a better "out-of-hours" response.

A group of doctors known as the Western Region General Practitioners' Out-of-Hours Co-operative has lodged a planning application with Galway Corporation to build its headquarters at a business park at the Liosban Estate on the Tuam road. While victims of road accidents and those with life-threatening injuries would continue to be treated at University College Hospital Galway (UCHG), the co-operative says the new facility would offer an alternative to long queues for more routine treatment.

It is proposed that the co-op will start on a phased basis, beginning with Galway city and county and following on in Mayo and Roscommon. Mr Brian Murphy, its project manager, explained how it will work.

"The person requesting the service will dial the 1850 number. The call will be answered by a trained patient services operator, who will record the vital information of the patient and a brief description of the patient's condition. The operator will then pass on the information to a triage nurse, who will assess the case by speaking to the caller and finding out more information about the patient's condition.

"Having assessed the case, the triage nurse will pass the case to a GP, who will be present at the call centre. The GP will then decide on the most appropriate action. If the patient is required to be seen at his/her home, a GP will be driven to the location in a specially-equipped vehicle by a trained driver. The vehicle will be equipped with a medical bag, ECG equipment, defibrillator, oxygen, nebulizers, cardiac drugs, intravenous fluids."

He says satellite monitoring will have a role in tracking the vehicle.

He cites the advantages from the patient's perspective as simple access; a more organised, patient-focused service; the availability of a triage nurse; and reduced exposure to a "tired doctor".

The co-op will work with existing emergency services and has already held discussions with the Department of Health and Children and the Western Health Board with a view to funding. Private patients will pay a call-out fee but public patients won't have to.

"This is not a private service. It will augment the existing healthcare, and will assist general practitioners in rural areas who have been working a practice single-handedly and don't have the benefit of a rota."

The co-op hopes to be operating this year.