Parents in Dublin furious over extreme GP waiting lists

Parents are shocked over major waiting times in GPs

GPs are now experiencing a major demand due to an increase in RSV and other seasonal viruses. Ireland's healthcare system has been under extreme pressure since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Between staff shortages, waiting lists, and high demand, the system simply can't cope at the moment. One person revealed their struggle with finding a GP during the pandemic. "The problem is that the GPs are overrun with covid and many aren't registering new patients because they can barely cope with what they have. I wasn't registered with a GP when covid hit. I called literally every GP within 20 miles of my home and every single one said 'no'." One mum told DublinLive that her daughter was waiting weeks for an appointment after suffering from a chest infection. "The secretary told us there were no more appointments for that week," she revealed. Her daughter was placed on a cancellation list for another week. The mum revealed she finally got an appointment on the Friday of the second week. "I can't understand why it took so long for her to get seen to." Another mum said, "They always tell me to contact the HSE as they've no availability for the foreseeable." GPs are unable to hire additional staff or assistants. They're already under pressure from the most recent Covid surge and the winter is set to cause even more delays. Advanced Nurse Practitioner John Corcoran told HerFamily that parents should trust their intuition if children are suffering from colds, sniffles, or mild flu. Treat symptoms with Calpol and Nurofen, get plenty of rest, and stay hydrated. "Mammies and daddies have this intuition when their child is sick," he said. Have you had problems getting an appointment with your GP recently?