The NowDoc service at Oldtown in Letterkenny is to move to a new base in the town.
The HSE has confirmed it has received a notice to vacate its existing base and will now move to the Errigal Chronic Disease Management Hub on Kilmacrennan Road where renovation works are taking place.
A statement issued by the HSE said this is a separate and distinct process to the ongoing review which could see the NoWDOC service taken over by Caredoc.
The full statement reads:
The NoWDOC service operates from a central call centre in Letterkenny, Co Donegal and has a total of five treatment centres, located at Letterkenny, Carndonagh, Derrybeg, Mountcharles and Carrick on Shannon Co Leitrim. Throughout 2022, as part of a wider accommodation review the HSE has been working to identify an alternative location from which NoWDOC can be delivered safely and would meet the requirements of the service.
With regard to the accommodation review the HSE has now received a notice requesting vacation of the existing building at Oldtown, Letterkenny which has resulted in the HSE now having to expedite plans to secure alternative suitable accommodation from which the services can continue to operate effectively and safely in the town.
As part of this ongoing accommodation review, phase 1 was to identify suitable alternative accommodation to transfer the GP out of hours clinics in line with current Infection Control advice which recommends a separation of clinical & administration areas. Timely renovation works underway in the Errigal Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Hub in Letterkenny are now affording the HSE the opportunity to explore the relocation of the GP OOH clinical service to this location. Phase 2 will incorporate the Nurse Triage and Administrative elements of the service in the Letterkenny area with other HSE services.
NoWDOC staff will continue to be updated of developments and will be offered supports to facilitate this required transition to alternative accommodation. We remain committed in engaging with all relevant stakeholders and a time defined communication plan will be implemented to ensure communities, patients and staff are informed of the change as necessary.
The HSE wish to clarify that this is a separate and distinct process to the ongoing review with regard to the current operating model of GP OOH Service which is managed and delivered by the HSE (NoWDOC) as part of a hybrid model, with Caredoc providing the GPs for the delivery of care.
