Ms Susan Clyne:

Our view is that the independent contractor model works and that GPs need to be supported. The State needs to support new GPs in establishing practices. In the UK and other jurisdictions, the State assists with the costs of establishment and the ongoing costs of running a practice. It must be remembered that only 50% of the population are covered by a medical card or GP visit card. General practice is a mix of public and private and, therefore, the independent contractor model is what works best. It delivers well and has huge satisfaction ratings. The younger GPs, however, are not being supported. The surveys will show that many young GPs do not want to take on the responsibilities of running a business immediately on completing their training. As they progress through their careers, they become more inclined to do so and are happier to do so. At the point at which they have just completed training, they need to be able to go into an established practice to get a feel for how things are and to be supported in that practice. When and if they decide to set up their own practice, they need a pathway to assist them with establishment costs.