No doctor at Killaloe clinic after midnight

THE absence of an out-of-hours doctor at Shannondoc’s clinic in Killaloe after midnight has sparked concern among residents in the town and wider catchment area.

Killaloe resident, Tom Clifford has expressed dissatisfaction that while East Clare is covered by a doctor, who is on call, one is not based in the Killaloe clinic after midnight.
Mr Clifford explained his wife, Hazel, had a seizure in the early hours of Wednesday, January 25 and he tried to ring Shannondoc but got no answer. Having waited for a few minutes, Mr Clifford said he tried to get through again after midnight, before he left his phone on redial and drove to the Shannondoc clinic in Killaloe. He claimed someone answered the phone, eight and a half minutes later, as he arrived at the clinic.
Mr Clifford said he asked for a doctor to call to treat his wife at their home but was told the doctor on duty was then in Nenagh.
“I wanted a doctor to call to Hazel in person, as she wasn’t in a position to go to the Killaloe clinic. I couldn’t wait for a doctor to travel from Nenagh, who may not have been available at the time so I rang an ambulance, which came from Scariff in about 10 minutes.
“I had no problem with the ambulance and all the treatment was top class. I am concerned there is no doctor on duty in the Killaloe clinic for East Clare after midnight,” he said.
Mrs Clifford was taken by ambulance to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick and, on the way, the vehicle stopped for an advanced paramedic, who was trained to give an injection. His wife was detained for treatment in Limerick hospital for a week.
The Clare Champion understands there is a recorded message on the Shannondoc number stating it is not an emergency service if a caller can’t get an operator.
Shannondoc spokesman, Larry Maher said Mr Clifford had made a complaint, which would be dealt with by their medical director. Mr Maher declined to make any comment on Mr Clifford’s claims.
Speaking generally about the service, Mr Maher explained that in some Shannondoc centres, out-of-hours doctors don’t stay in the clinic after midnight but are still available on call to provide assistance, if necessary.
When the new doctor comes on duty after midnight, Mr Maher explained Shannondoc can still call the doctor who left the clinic or the nearest geographically-located doctor in the event of a major incident. For example, if a doctor covering West and North Clare after midnight gets a call to travel to Ballyvaughan, Mr Maher said the service can call the other doctor who went off duty, or the nearest geographically-located doctor, to attend a major incident in Kilrush.
Stating Shannondoc is not an emergency service, he confirmed locations in East Clare would be covered by a doctor based in clinics in Nenagh, Limerick City and Ennis after midnight, in addition to the doctor in Killaloe, who left the Killaloe clinic but remained on call.