A GP practice in Omagh is managing around 1,000 telephone calls per day.

Drumragh Family Practice recorded 21,803 telephone interactions in May. The surgery serves more than 11,500 patients and adds between 30 and 35 new registrations each month.

The practice also processes around 100 clinical letters electronically each day. It uses a telephone triage model where care navigators direct calls to clinicians for callbacks.

Councillors at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council discussed access to routine appointments at their monthly meeting. Councillor Shirley Hawkes said she had been unable to secure a non-emergency appointment despite repeated attempts.

Practice manager Bernadine McCrory wrote to the council requesting lobbying for increased primary care funding. She stated that primary care has been underfunded for years.

Councillor Dr Josephine Deehan said demand has exceeded what staff can provide. She attributed the situation to long-term underinvestment in primary care services.

Councillor Eddie Roofe said the call volume is impossible to manage and described it as a funding issue rather than a staff performance issue.