A SINN Féin delegation has met with the Belfast Trust over concerns of the BELDOC service for people living in North and West Belfast.
We have previously reported of disruption to the service, including reduced opening hours as a result of staffing issues.
The Belfast Doctors (BELDOC) out-of-hours service on the Crumlin Road provides urgent care for people when their usual GP surgery is closed, usually between the hours of 5pm and 8am.
The Sinn Féin delegation included North Belfast MLA Carál Ní Chuilín, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and North Belfast MP John Finucane.
Speaking after the meeting, Ms Ní Chuilín said: “It’s good that today’s meeting took place considering the huge concerns that have been raised recently with us about access to GP services.
“The reduced opening ours of the out-of-hours service known locally as the BELDOC has had a significant impact upon local GP practices.
“It’s my understanding that North Belfast GPs have reported a 10 per cent increase in requests for face to face consultations which is unacceptable given the fact that many of these GP practices are already at maximum capacity.
“We were told today by the Belfast Trust that the out-of-hours service was experiencing problems with staffing and that needs to be urgently resolved through focused workforce planning in my view.
“Undoubtedly these are extraordinary times for our health service staff however management must step up to the task and support our front-line staff as it is they that must bare the brunt of the problem when one aspect of the system isn’t functioning properly.
“This additional pressure on GPs and Emergency Room staff can’t continue."
Ms Ní Chuilín said the Sinn Féin team also took the opportunity during the meeting to once again raise concerns in relation to the treatment and care of people in a mental health crisis presenting at emergency rooms.
“Once again the current system is far from perfect and must be put right as it is people’s lives we are talking about here," she said. “While we can repeatedly raise these issues it is the patients themselves that are being let down.
“Clearly during this pandemic the mental health situation has deteriorated for many people and the Belfast Trust must be fit for purpose urgently to support and treat patients.
“There remains major problems with the system treating patients who present with mental health problems and other conditions including addiction.
“I’m glad that today our delegation have had this opportunity to articulate these concerns directly to the Belfast Trust and we will continue to keep a watching brief and advocate on behalf of constituents many of which are extremely vulnerable at this time.”
