The NEDOC, GP Out of Hours service has celebrated 25 years in operation. To mark this event the HSE hosted a small gathering of past and present representatives of nurses, drivers, call centre staff, GPs and nurse triagers, who have worked together over the years to provide this service to patients.
Speaking at the event, Dr Larry McEntee (Trim), past Chairman of NEDOC and now happily retired noted that it was a very innovative service at the time, and a leap of faith for all those involved. “It was a major departure for GPs to work together in this kind of collaborative environment, and some were very reluctant to get involved believing it wouldn’t work for patients. But within a very short time we could see the success it would be as patients quickly adapted to contacting NEDOC instead of their own surgery. From a GP perspective, it was a game changer in creating a work-life balance previously un-thought of. It was far the greatest achievement of the then GP Unit, established under the 1993 GMS contract”.
Arlene Fitzsimons, Director of Operations for NEDOC said that the service was a “huge innovation in General Practice. It was a major leap of faith for the then Health Board and the GP Unit Team. As a service NEDOC has stood the test of time, with some changes to our building infrastructure to improve our centres, and hopefully we will move into the planned regional Primary Care Centres in due course. Perhaps the true testament to the success of NEDOC is the volume of calls we receive with over 93,000 contacting us in 2024 compared to 54,000 in our first year. The service continues to be delivered by a team of GPs in daytime practice, locum doctors, nurses, drivers, receptionists and call centre staff, and we are delighted to be here 25 years on”.
NEDOC was as a partnership between the HSE and General Practitioners in the North East. NEDOC has 4 treatment centres, one in Drogheda, Cavan town, Castleblayney and Navan, with a call centre based in Ardee. NEDOC offers urgent out of hours care to patients, either by phone or in person at one of the treatment centres or at home for those who non-ambulant or too ill to attend the centre.
Representatives from the HSE, the GP and nurse triage services including staff of the NEDOC service, both past and present, attended the celebration to acknowledge the success of the service over the past 25 years. NEDOC continues to serve the population of the North East with a collaborative and patient focussed approach to provide a high quality service.
Attendees at the celebration recalled the history of the service and outlined the successes and challenges faced by the service since the year 2000. The commitment and diligent contribution of all stakeholders was acknowledged as key to the success of the service.
Patrick Clerkin, HSE Integrated Healthcare Manager for Louth Meath said: “NEDOC stands as a shining example of what can be achieved when the HSE and service providers work together with a shared purpose — to deliver high-quality, patient-focused care to the people of the North East and beyond.”
Last updated on: 09 / 10 / 2025
