'Urgent action needed' to prevent out-of-hours healthcare crisis in Carlow and Kilkenny - Senator

Senator Patricia Stephenson has warned that out-of-hours GP services in Carlow and Kilkenny are at serious risk of being severely disrupted in the coming weeks unless the Minister for Health takes immediate steps to resolve an escalating industrial dispute.

Staff at Caredoc, the out-of-hours GP provider for Carlow and Kilkenny, are due to begin intermittent strike action from December 18 into the new year due to the continued failure to implement the 2023 Workplace Relations Commission pay agreement for Section 39 organisations. This agreement included an 8% pay increase, which staff have still not received.

Senator Stephenson said: “This should never have been allowed to reach crisis point. Caredoc staff in Carlow and Kilkenny provide an essential frontline service for families across both counties every evening, night and weekend. They were promised an 8% pay rise more than two years ago, and it is simply unacceptable that this money has not been delivered.”

“If this strike goes ahead, our communities in Carlow and Kilkenny will be left without a vital out-of-hours GP service at the height of the winter surge. Without Caredoc, people will have no option but to turn to already overloaded emergency departments.”
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Senator Stephenson highlighted that St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny is already operating at or above safe capacity, with sustained overcrowding pressures throughout the year.

“St Luke’s is under enormous strain even before the Christmas period begins. Any loss of out-of-hours GP care will drive more patients into its emergency department, worsening delays and increasing risks for patients and staff alike.

“The Minister for Health must intervene immediately to ensure this pay agreement is implemented and to avert strike action. The people of Carlow and Kilkenny cannot be left facing a collapse in out-of-hours services at the very moment they are needed most.”

Senator Stephenson concluded: “Caredoc staff in Carlow and Kilkenny deliver an invaluable service and deserve fair pay and working conditions in line with their HSE colleagues. A swift resolution is essential to protect patient safety and maintain healthcare access for our communities over Christmas and into the new year.”