Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their comprehensive presentations. I agree with what was said in regard to support for GPs. It is fundamental that we develop this area in respect of which the cutback in funding has been substantial over the last few years.

One of the concerns for me in regard to health care is the many different groups in the area in need of funding. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, is seeking the recruitment of more hospital staff. Everyone is looking for more funding. As a country, we are the second highest in the OECD in terms of the level of spend in this area per head of population. The question that arises then is where we are going wrong in terms of funding. I agree we need to resource GPs but I am concerned about how we are going to address issues such as the fact that we have only 2.8 hospital beds per 1,000 of population while the average across the OECD is 4.3; and the huge demographic change that is approaching at a very fast rate in terms of the number of people aged over 65 years expected to increase from 600,000 to over 1 million by 2030. Approximately 51% of our hospital beds are occupied by people aged over 65 years. How can we cater for this and at the same time improve the support for GPs so that more people can be kept out of the hospital system?

In my own area in Cork the population has increased from 410,000 in 1986 to 542,000 in 2016, which is an increase of 130,000, yet not one additional hospital bed has been opened. We are asking GPs to do all of the work they are required to do at local level but to do so they need the backup of hospital services. Where are we getting it wrong in relation to funding and where can we make the savings while at the same time put additional funding into the development of GP practices and supports for such practices?