Dáil debates

Wednesday, 8 November 2017

Questions on Promised Legislation

 

12:50 pm

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

----- than it was previously. I myself signed that order 18 months ago. The kind of GP that my father would have been was willing to get up and go out on house calls every night, would come home to find my mother would have a message for him to go out again, and would work every weekend. The world has changed and lifestyles have changed. Also, the nature of general practice has changed and one can provide a better quality of care in group practices now than a single-handed GP can, except for a small number of extremely dedicated doctors who still do that.

There are contract negotiations under way currently between the IMO and the Minister for Health. One matter that is under consideration which might work for rural areas is having a salaried GP, somebody who would be for the first time a State employee as opposed to a private contractor. I do not know whether doctors will want to do that or not. The world of work has changed and doctors may not be willing to do in the future the kind of work they were willing to do in the past.

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