The HSE has confirmed to Shannonside Northern Sound news that MIDOC in Longford will cease trading as of midnight on the 31st of December.
In a statement to Shannonside Northern Sound News this morning the HSE said The MIDOC GP Out of Hours Service provides an urgent GP service to patients in counties Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath. HSE Midlands Louth Meath Community Healthcare has been engaging with MIDOC for a number of months to help address the financial challenges it faced.
The HSE said it was disappointed that MIDOC has made the decision to cease trading for an indefinite period, effective midnight 31 December 2022 when we were looking to provide to provide a sustainable model going forward.
In the short-term and to mitigate the risks, through a third party the HSE has put in place appropriate cover based on normal and scheduled GPOOH practice and rosters and to ensure that the necessary supports are in place to deliver the best care to our service users, while ensuring that patient safety and quality of service are at the forefront of service delivery.
In addition the HSE is in the process of seeking an alternative provider which we hope to have in place in the coming month. The HSE will continue to communicate and engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure they are fully appraised of and consulted on any future developments.
In a social media post last night local TD Joe Flaherty confirmed that the emergency service will have a name change as of January 1st 2023.
The Longford native said that he had been in contact with the health minister and received assurances that this vital medical service for the Midlands will continue as normal.
