Dr. Tadhg Crowley:

I thank the Senator for the question because it has been a very important question in recent years. I count myself as a middle-aged GP at this stage. I am learning about work-life balance from younger GPs. I am the first to say my work-life balance is atrocious at times. I am learning from what my younger colleagues expect and demand in terms of their mental health and their ability to stay longer in the job. This will impact on replacing GPs who are retiring. GPs are no longer willing to work the hours and other mad stuff that was done in the past and they are right. We can see the ill-effects that have been created in people in my generation. The hours that GPs work is another factor of the GP crisis.

I am hugely into sports. Huge numbers of GPs have got together in exercise groups, walking groups and running groups. This has been very important in Covid. I emphasise what Dr. Farrell has said about collegiality of GPs locally. It is always good to pick up the phone to speak to someone locally who understands the worries and concerns. When people are living in a community it is a bit difficult to speak to just anyone. They need to be able to speak to someone who understands what they are going through.