Three mobile doctors to serve nearly 300,000 from June

In a letter to Derry City Council dated February 23 Paul Kavanagh - based at the board's Gransha office - informed the local authority of the changes to the GP out-of-hours service between 6pm and 8.30am.

He advised that an analysis of the Red-Eye Shift - between midnight and 8.30am - there are an average of 7.1 face-to-face consultations at Altnagelvin, 2.3 at Limavady Health Centre, and 2.4 at Strabane Health Centre.

In Omagh the figure was 3 and in Enniskillen 3.4 - 18.2 per Red-Eye shift across the entire Western area.

Mr Cavanagh wrote that the reduction of the number of doctors from 5 to 3 on the shift was "necessary to bring expenditure into line with available funds and to deliver a more efficient service."

He stated: "There are currently five GPs (one in each centre) on the midnight to 8.30am shift, seeing a total on average, of 18 patients each night.

"The Health and social Care board and Western Urgent Care feel that there could be a more efficient use of staff during this period."

This summer the GP out-of-hours service will be transformed with a nurse employed to triage the calls; the number of GPs on duty will be reduced from five to three; the three GPs mobile and covering all five centres to "ensure that patients will be still seen in their local centre."

Mr Cavanagh promised there will be a further three GPs on-call if required during any unexpected busy periods.

"It is important to note that the timescales for appointments as set out in the NI Quality Standards will continue to be met," he wrote.

"Following the introduction of the changes, the HSCB (West) and WUC will monitor activity and waiting times for an agreed period."

Mr Cavanagh also advised the Board would be willing to provide fortnightly reports to Derry City Council detailing activity and waiting times."

"There will be minimal impact to patients," he stated. "A nurse will be available to triage all calls; patients will be seen in their local centres by a GP within the current timescales; and those patients who require a home visit will continue to receive one. If the Council wishes to arrange a meeting to discuss the changes, I will attend at your request."