Struggle to recruit full-time GP in Mayo community
Two GP positions are currently vacant in Co Mayo, it has been revealed.
Two full-time GP positions are vacant in Mayo, it has been revealed.
That is according to Chief Officer with Community Healthcare West, John Fitzmaurice who answered a question from Councillor Michael Kilcoyne at last week's Regional Health Forum West meeting.
Mr Fitzmaurice said one of those positions is in Achill which has been vacant since July 2020. The second is in Charlestown which has been vacant since January 2022. Both have been advertised on a number of occasions without success. However, the positions are filled by GPs employed through a locum agency, so there has been no disruption in services to the patients.
“The one in Achill is going on a long time and it is costing a fortune, about a half a million a year,” Cllr Kilcoyne said.
Mr Fitzmaurice said he could not comment on the figure, but the positions are filled.
“We will continue to recruit for those positions, obviously we’ve one a couple of campaigns but they haven’t yielded any success. We will wait a period of time before we advertise again and there are steps being taken on a national level to increase GPs coming into the country,” he said.
Cllr Kilcoyne insisted that there should be special incentives put in place for places like Achill. Mr Fitzmaurice agreed and said there is provisions being implemented.
