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Unable to find a GP accepting new patients

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  • 27-02-2019 9:59pm
    #1
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,090 ✭✭✭✭


    I may be relocating in the near future and after making some initial enquiries there are no GPs in the areas willing to accept you with a medical card. How can I handle this?
    I cant drive and I have a chronic condition so I need a local GP.


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    #2
    rubberdungeon
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭rubberdungeon


    Gael23 wrote: »
    I may be relocating in the near future and after making some initial enquiries there are no GPs in the areas willing to accept you with a medical card. How can I handle this?
    I cant drive and I have a chronic condition so I need a local GP.


    https://www2.hse.ie/services/medical-cards/gps-who-accept-medical-cards.html


    If your GP of choice is not on the list, they might not currently be accepting additional patients.

    If you can’t get a GP to accept you on their patient list, try another GP in your area.

    Contact us if 3 GPs have declined to accept you on to their patient list. We will assign you a GP.


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    #3
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,090 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    Do I have any say in what GP they assign me to?


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    #4
    miketheDIYman
    Registered Users Posts: 153 ✭✭miketheDIYman


    No - just consider yourself lucky to have been assigned !


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    #5
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,667 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    Gael23 wrote: »
    Do I have any say in what GP they assign me to?


    No, and the GP has no say either !


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    #6
    dartboardio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,436 ✭✭✭dartboardio


    Email or post a cover letter with the names and addresses of 3 GPs who refused you along with your details to clientregistration@hse.ie or Client Reg Unit PO Box 11745 Dublin 11

    HSE will auto assign you a GP and no you dont get a say really unless there is mitigating circumstances.


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    #7
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,090 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    RobFowl wrote: »
    No, and the GP has no say either !

    Do Doctors get assigned patients like this often Rob?
    I guess being a young guy I would be more at ease discussing certain things with a male GP, but maybe I'm being stupid with that.

    What would be considered mitigating circumstances?


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    #8
    SandyMac1234
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭SandyMac1234


    Hi. My dad can't get GP in South East. He has no medical card. Can he get assigned one this way? Thanks.


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    #9
    dartboardio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,436 ✭✭✭dartboardio


    Gael23 wrote: »
    Do Doctors get assigned patients like this often Rob?
    I guess being a young guy I would be more at ease discussing certain things with a male GP, but maybe I'm being stupid with that.

    What would be considered mitigating circumstances?

    Youd have to contact your local health office to ask more about that. But usually something like if someone was pregnant or if their GP was not willing to see them because of certain issues


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    #10
    dartboardio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,436 ✭✭✭dartboardio


    SandyMac1234 wrote: »
    Hi. My dad can't get GP in South East. He has no medical card. Can he get assigned one this way? Thanks.

    Yes the fastest way would be via email. They are currently about a week or two behind with auto assigning GPs but has a quick enough turnaround


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    #11
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,090 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    SandyMac1234 wrote: »
    Hi. My dad can't get GP in South East. He has no medical card. Can he get assigned one this way? Thanks.

    Where exactly? I’m in that area too.


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    #12
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,667 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    If you have no medical card you cannot be assigned a GP.
    Its a problem that is going to become more of an issue as the shortage of GP's is being ignored by the powers that be...

    Depending on where a GP is base they are all getting assigned patients, some area's much more than others.


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    #13
    SandyMac1234
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭SandyMac1234


    SandyMac1234 wrote:
    Hi. My dad can't get GP in South East. He has no medical card. Can he get assigned one this way? Thanks.

    dartboardio wrote:
    Yes the fastest way would be via email. They are currently about a week or two behind with auto assigning GPs but has a quick enough turnaround

    Gael23 wrote:
    Where exactly? I’m in that area too.

    RobFowl wrote:
    If you have no medical card you cannot be assigned a GP. Its a problem that is going to become more of an issue as the shortage of GP's is being ignored by the powers that be...

    RobFowl wrote:
    Depending on where a GP is base they are all getting assigned patients, some area's much more than others.


    That's all a bit worrying.
    He's in Wexford, a doctor took him on for 6 months b4 Dr. retires. Other local docs won't take him.

    Thanks for replies, good thread op!


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    #14
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,090 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    SandyMac1234 wrote: »
    That's all a bit worrying.
    He's in Wexford, a doctor took him on for 6 months b4 Dr. retires. Other local docs won't take him.

    Thanks for replies, good thread op!

    There are no GPS in south Wexford taking new patients at all


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    #15
    RoamingDoc
    Registered Users Posts: 174 ✭✭RoamingDoc


    Gael23 wrote: »
    What would be considered mitigating circumstances?

    I'm really sorry to say this, but given how bad things are at the moment, I wouldn't go down this route, particularly as it is likely to generate extra work for an already overworked system.
    There are huge demands and difficulties facing GPs at the moment and the HSE are suffering from similar inadequate resources.

    As Rob says above, the powers that be have put their heads in the sand on this. The access to any sort of non-private healthcare is becoming a huge issue.

    We have moved into a time where having any access at all to a GP is to be considered a luxury.
    Gael23 wrote: »
    I guess being a young guy I would be more at ease discussing certain things with a male GP, but maybe I'm being stupid with that.

    Not stupid, this is entirely understandable but not something you need to worry about. Doctors are used to hearing about all sorts of problems from all sorts of people. If they have completed their training, they will have dealt with an awful lot of situations. There is almost nothing you can say or show that they haven't seen, heard or heard of before.


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    #16
    Herculina Chatwind
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭Herculina Chatwind


    I have been in Ireland 16 months and at 68 years old, still enjoyed good health. I have now however developed a worrisome condition and cannot believe that gps can actually refuse new patients. Is there a legal limit to the number of patients a doctor can have? I live in Passage West, Cork and can find no doctor willing to see me. I have no medical card or health insurance. What do I do?



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    #17
    Herculina Chatwind
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭Herculina Chatwind





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    #18
    Strumms
    Registered Users Posts: 24,872 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568840#Comment_118568840

    Why can’t you believe it ? they can only work so many hours a week, see so many patients..

    my GP surgery took on an extra GP… and still if I call today, Wednesday to get an appointment it might be Monday or most likely Tuesday before I can see a doctor…. I am no longer guaranteed to see ‘MY’ GP…. It can be any of the other junior guys who have availability…is that fair ? The surgery is over subscribed.



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    #19
    fritzelly
    Registered Users Posts: 17,307 ✭✭✭✭fritzelly


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568840#Comment_118568840


    Why have you moved here a little over a year ago and not had the means to support yourself health wise and expecting Ireland to support you in health matters that will likely get progressively worse?



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    #20
    apache
    Registered Users Posts: 2,356 ✭✭✭apache


    It's hard enough to change GPs if you are a private patient. Not many GPs are taking on any new patients at the moment regardless if they are public or private. You have to wait about a week for an appointment. It's only going to get worse.



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    #21
    Big Bag of Chips
    Administrators Posts: 13,794 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Big Bag of Chips


    Some areas have walk-in GP services like Doctor 365



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    #22
    cusser
    Registered Users Posts: 67 ✭✭cusser


    The fact GPs are burnt out, exhausted, and saying No to accepting new patients is a sign the system is broken.

    I have had 11 x rejections in trying to find a GP for my cousin ( suicidal at moment ). He is an Irish citizen. His GP retired some years ago and the GP's replacement doctor refused to see him as he is not accepting new patients.

    I honestly belief this refusal is breaking the Hippocratic oath!

    My cousin was admitted to hospital after a suicide attempt and turfed out the next day, so it is on me to monitor and care for him. Many Irish citizens are taking on the care of their Loved ones without any support from the health system.

    Not sure if the problem is that Gp's are not getting reimbursed enough? Research indicates newly qualified interns are all emigrating to countries that offer them better financial deals ( esp for rural areas ) and honour and respect the service they provide.

    I have no answers except pay private and search outside your area. Having a Medical card confines a person to search within a local area.

    The walk in clinics charge extortionist rates , seem to be run by foreigners who are cashing in on the gaping holes in Irish Health care; basically providing referrals and simple prescribing ( but no follow ups or overall health checks) .... from my experience. You are treated as a commodity in these facilities, but I guess beggars can't be choosers.



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    #23
    Pauliedragon
    Registered Users Posts: 2,512 ✭✭✭Pauliedragon


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568840#Comment_118568840

    Passage West isn't far from Carrigaline there's plenty of surgery's there have u tried? There's also a walk in clinic in Douglas.



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    #24
    Furze99
    Registered Users Posts: 10,502 ✭✭✭✭Furze99


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/109557777#Comment_109557777

    That's utterly bizarre isn't it? If you're one of the many citizens who just pay when they go to see a GP, then if you move to an area where there's a shortage, you're bollixed. Meanwhile those who don't pay and who the state provide medical cards to, in the same situation do have an entry point.

    How screwed up is that?

    BTW we currently pay and are on the books for a good few years. But because we pay, we tend to go only when needed. Often struck pre Covid in the waiting room by the numbers also waiting who were medical card holders, they seemed to go for every little thing. Maybe that's a factor?



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    #25
    RoamingDoc
    Registered Users Posts: 174 ✭✭RoamingDoc


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120308359#Comment_120308359

    The system is definitely broken. It's really not a matter of reimbursement though. Just resources and having a proper working environment.

    I've become one of the many who has left recently. It really had nothing to do with money. I just wanted to no longer be treated with blatant hostility and to actually be supported to do my job.

    And while I am sorry that you're finding it so hard to access medical care for your cousin - this picture is repeated across the entire country and is solely due to extremely poor planning across the entire Irish health system (you can't blame the HSE entirely - it's everyone).



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    #26
    cusser
    Registered Users Posts: 67 ✭✭cusser


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120311251#Comment_120311251

    I am also a health care professional who has left, so I understand unsupportive working environments and the pressure, stress, burn-out, such jobs entail.

    I don't think I blamed the HSE in my post :)

    I wish Ireland could copy the system of a more efficient Health Care system, from another country like France etc. but I know this is an oversimplified solution.

    I had wondered if GPs got paid an hourly rate , rather than it being based on the volume of patients they see ( larger volume = more stress) would it alleviate the burnout and stress? but I admit I don't know or understand how all that works.

    It's a shame but my observations are are that those who have a heart, and care, working in the health system, burn out quicker than those who don't give a toss.



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    #27
    blade1
    Registered Users Posts: 12,161 ✭✭✭✭blade1


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118840652#Comment_118840652

    If certs are needed these can only issue 3. (Well that's what they told me)

    I was 19 months trying to get a doctor before a chance meeting one in public and asking her could she take me on.

    Even though I got my head split open at work I was on half pay because I couldn't provide certs.



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    #28
    maninasia
    Registered Users Posts: 4,616 ✭✭✭maninasia


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568901#Comment_118568901

    Why don't you shove it up your hole he has his own reasons no need to explain to you.



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    #29
    maninasia
    Registered Users Posts: 4,616 ✭✭✭maninasia


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120308408#Comment_120308408

    Crazy unfair country to workers and taxpayers.


    Mod Edit

    Not going to allow this discussion to go down the rabbit hole of blaming a vunerable group of people.

    Rob

    Post edited by RobFowl on


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    #30
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/109545539#Comment_109545539
    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/109545539#Comment_109545539

    As in beggars cannot be choosers..

    I live offshore and no "real" choice re who we register with. Takes a lot of perseverance else.



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