Heavy workload forces yet another rural GP to quit as manpower crisis worsens

Dr Mireille Sweeney (63), who is a single-handed GP, was a family ­doctor in Ardara, Co Donegal, for 29 years.

She came to this country from her native Provence in France as a young doctor in the 1980s to be “cured of her love for Ireland”.

She is one of a falling number of GPs based in villages around the country. As more of these solo GPs face retirement, the onerous level of work means there may be nobody willing to take their place.

The mother of four and grandmother, who is married to Irishman John, previously told the Irish Independent the issue is not about extra fees for doctors.

“I am very privileged and in a job I love. It is about a service for rural patients, saving burned-out GPs and seeing areas do not lose their doctor.”

In a notice to her patients in the last week, Dr Sweeney said: “It is with a heavy heart that I have handed my resignation to the HSE, my employer. For years, I have highlighted to the HSE the looming manpower crisis that single-handed rural GPs are facing, while also proposing practical solutions to these problems.

GP crisis investigation: Rural Ireland worst hit as two-thirds unable to take on new patients

“Schemes introduced in recent years by the HSE aimed at improving patient care, although highly successful, have put a huge additional demand on any single-handed GP practice.”

She said in the past two years at Ardara Health Centre, the post of GP assistant, GP partner “and my post as principal GP have been offered to 11 doctors, nationally and internationally. [They all showed] genuine interest in the practice but [were] unwilling to accept the demands of a single-handed rural GP practice.

“In the past five years, there have been two occasions when I found I could not continue without a period away from work for my own wellbeing.

“On these occasions, it was up to me to provide my own cover. I relied on ­agency locum doctors to run the practice.”

Dr Sweeney said she has now “exhausted all possible avenues to ensure a successor to my position as GP in Ardara and the matter is now in the hands of the HSE. Myself and my staff have no information on the procedure for appointing a new GP for Ardara”.

A spokesman for the HSE said: ”The HSE can confirm that Dr Mireille Sweeney, GP Ardara has tendered her resignation. Dr Sweeney will be working out her period of notice.

“The HSE will continue to work towards finding a new GP as a priority.”

Earlier this year, the Irish College of General Practitioners announced 350 training places for doctors wanting to become a GP, an increase of 22pc.

A scheme is also in place for 250 international doctors to work in rural practices for two years in the hope they will stay. .