Dr. Edel McGinnity:

It is important to note that there have been significant cuts in funding for general practice in the past ten years, by as much as 40% in some cases. Only 2% of the health budget goes to general practice, whereas 95% of all health care is provided in the community. The United Kingdom spends 8% of its health budget on general practice. The reason GPs will not work in that environment is straightforward - practices are not viable in small rural areas. There is a fixed rate per patient. If there are only 500 people in a village, there will not be enough patients to sustain a practice. That is the problem.