Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 79 together.

I welcome the recently published report by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs which includes workforce planning analysis for selected health care occupations, including general practitioners. Among its findings, the report indicates that the current gender distribution in general practice will be reversed in the future with a ratio of 65 females to 35 males. It also predicts that by 2020, almost 30% of female and 5% of male general practitioners can be expected to work part-time. There are 12 general practitioner specialist training programmes currently in operation in the State. They are all of four years duration - two years spent in hospital posts under the supervision of hospital consultants and two years in an approved general practice under the supervision of a general practice trainer. The total number of places available is 120. The report predicts that this figure will not be sufficient to meet the demands of a growing and ageing population into the future.

The Health Service Executive and the Irish College of General Practitioners are currently in discussion with a view to increasing the number of general practitioner trainees by streamlining existing programmes in a cost-effective manner. In addition, the college has identified a number of doctors who have not had formal training in general practice but who are interested in pursuing a career as a general practitioner. The provision of a programme of training for these doctors is also being examined.

The Health Service Executive is also taking steps to increase the number of general practitioners who can take on patients with medical cards. A rule which allowed doctors who currently have patients who hold general practitioner visit cards to also take on medical card patients after five years has been amended to allow such doctors to take them on with immediate effect. Nationally, there are in excess of 50 doctors in this category, 20 of whom are in practice in the Dublin area.

Recruitment of general practitioners to provide services under the GMS scheme has been made simpler with a list of posts being advertised centrally on the HSE website. Proactive management of upcoming retirements by local health offices is in place to flag potential general practitioner vacancies at an early stage. Articles have also been placed in UK medical magazines highlighting general practitioner opportunities in Ireland.

It has been my intention for some time that any restrictive rules preventing fully qualified general practitioners taking on patients under the GMS scheme should be ended. In that context, a consultation group involving my Department, the HSE and the Irish Medical Organisation has been reviewing the provisions relating to entry to the GMS scheme. I understand that considerable progress has been made and that detailed recommendations from this group will be presented to me shortly, with the objective of increasing the pool of general practitioners who can take on medical card patients.

My Department will discuss the contents of the expert group report with the HSE and other appropriate agencies in the coming months to ensure we continue to have an adequate supply of general practitioners available.

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