The Irish Rural Doctor's Group is in existence since
1984. An annual conference of Rural Doctors is held in
Westport every year. Previously these meetings were held in
Mulranny, Co Mayo. Dr Jerry Cowley is Chairman of the Rural
Doctor's Group of the Irish Medical Organisation.
Depopulation -the need for
proper policy
This group conducted a survey of rural practice
populations which showed a 20% drop in practice
population over a number of years. As a result of the
continuing depopulation of rural areas the Rural Doctor's
Group has been pushing for the supports to be given to
rural areas necessary to sustain it's population.
Because of a fall in the rural doctor's panel he would
not be replaced when he retires as was happening in some
cases so that people would have to travel further and
further to get the services of a doctor. This resulted in
an inferior medical service because of the distances
people had to travel to see a doctor when they became
ill. This was the direct opposite to towns where there
was a surplus of doctors.
It is our contention that the rural population deserve
the same standards of medical service as exists in the
cities and towns. Further we have described the vicious
circle of continuing depopulation and erosion of services
in rural areas. In other words who will settle in a rural
area when there is no adequate service? Similarly schools
and post offices and garda stations have been closed
because of a fall in rural population. For some years now
we have tried to highlight this situation in an effort to
cause policy to be in place to counteract this. We feel
that rural dwellers deserve equality of services. We feel
the rural culture is worth retaining but we see lack of
action as contributing to it's eventual demise.
In one area beside the writer the population fell from
1,600 to 800 in 50 years. Proper policy would include
replacing a doctor in a rural area when he dies or
retires.
An example of bad policy by Government happened some
years ago when dispensing of medicines to rural patients
was abolished so that rural dwellers had to go into
nearby towns to get their medicines dispensed. This
resulted in terrible hardship to patients , with some
having to make round trips of 50 miles to get essential
medicines. There are no Pharmacists in remote areas
because it is not comercially viable for them to set up
shop. So it is left to rural doctors to supply these
essential medicines.
Thankfully reason prevailed and dispensing by rural
doctors was brought back. Were this situation to continue
not only would patients in rural areas have to undergo
terrible hardship to get their medicines, but eventually
they would decide it was more economic to bypass the
rural GP and travel to the town to see the town doctor as
well, thus further ensuring the demise of the rural
GP.
Our future - our
youth
Rural Practitioners are an essential part of the
existing infrastructure in rural Ireland, and are well
placed to influence in a positive way the survival of
rural communities. Our greatest hope for the future are
our youth and we have seen too many leave their area
because of lack of opportunity. There is a great need for
proper tax incentives to encourage investment in rural
areas and so provide employment. Some areas, including
our own have set up little advance factories in the hope
of attracting light industry but in the absence of some
positive discrimination there is no great hope of this
despite the 'Celtic Tiger Economy' which has sidestepped
rural Ireland and Counties Mayo, Roscommon and Leitrim in
particular.
Our Older Citizens deserve
equality
Our elderly alone also experience a sad silent
emigration to faraway nursing homes and old folk's
institutions when they have no one to care for them and
can no longer look after themselves. In our own area and
to a varying degree in a great many rural areas voluntary
housing projects in association with the State are
providing an alternative for those elderly citizens to
stay in their own area. This is only as it should be. Our
'St Brendan's Village' strives to provide this
opportunity for our elderly and handicapped to stay in
their own area, and some of our elderly emigrants have
come back again from abroad and some have returned from
the Old Folks Homes as well.
