Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is one of the central issues under negotiation with the IMO. The figures are important. As of 1 November 2015, 20 GMS lists do not have a permanent GP in place, eight of which are in rural areas with populations of fewer than 1,500. However, each of the lists has either a locum GP or a neighbouring GP who has taken over the list and provides the full range of GP services to patients. Patients continue to have access to GP and primary care services. Permanent GPs are supplying over 99.9% of the GMS general practice services. This compares favourably with other countries, such as the UK, where the latest figures for 2013-14 showed a GP vacancy rate of 8% in the NHS. Of the GMS vacancies in Ireland, 50% of the 20 permanent vacancies are recent and have occurred during the past six months. It is a recent phenomenon and has more effect on urban areas of deprivation than in rural areas. Sometimes, we miss this point.

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