Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of the need for the HSE to appoint a new GP to fill the vacant position in Borris-in-Ossory in County Laois. I appreciate that the Minister is here in person. The background to this situation is very straightforward. It is happening in many areas in rural Ireland, in particular. The doctor who has been there for many years, Dr. Fitzgerald, is retiring. I thank him and his patients will thank him. He is entitled to retire and we wish him well. A question has now arisen regarding replacing him. The HSE advertised the position and conducted interviews. Two people applied for the position, but the financial package that was available was not sufficient to allow a doctor to move into the area.

Historically, when a GP who held a GMS medical card contract lived and practised in a centre of population with fewer than 1,500 people and there was no town with a population of more than 1,500 people within three miles of it, the GP was entitled to a rural practice allowance. The figure for the rural practice allowance is about €16,216. I understand the position in Borris-in-Ossory was advertised without this allowance. The town of Borris-in-Ossory meets the population requirement. Further, there is no town within a three-mile radius of it with a population of more than 1,500 people. We are talking about serving an area which includes Borris-in-Ossory and surrounding areas such as Ballybrophy, Killasmeestia, Pike of Rush Hall, Ballaghmore and Camross. Essentially, from the Minister's perspective, this is a town on the road between Mountrath and Roscrea on the old N7 road. The town was bypassed recently by the motorway.

A very strict interpretation of the rules is being applied by the HSE. One issue is that it is saying that the GP must live in the area. Historically, sometimes a house came with a practice. This is not the case here and no one thinks a GP should be offered a house in this day and age. If a GP is getting a practice, like everyone else he or she will have to provide his or her own house. However, the HSE seems to be saying that because the person will not be living and practising in the area, he or she will not be eligible for the rural practice allowance. I am asking the HSE, through the Minister's office, to go back to the people who applied in the first place and to offer them the rural practice allowance. This will make the position financially viable. The rural practice allowance allows a GP to have funding to support a practice nurse, secretary and, if necessary, manager. This cannot be done without an extra allowance. The GP cannot pay for this out of his own salary.

This leads to a bigger issue. GPs in many practices throughout the country have been telling me that they would love to be employed as a doctor, that is, to do the business they are trained to do. However, they have to run the local health centre and look after various other matters such as the costs of administering the centre, IT facilities, human relations issues and the practice nurse and other staff that come and go through a health centre. It is a management position in its own right. All of this is taking up GP's time which should be spent on patient care. The rural practice allowance should be allowed in this case.

Last Sunday, the local parish priest raised this issue at mass. He asked local politicians to speak up for the area because he felt some of the small areas no longer had a voice. I am asking the Minister, therefore, to ensure that the position of the GP will be filled in Borris-in-Ossory and if this means giving the rural practice allowance, I ask the Minister to do that.

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