Results 4,261-4,280 of 11,602 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I am talking about big companies like the IT companies, the medical devices companies and the pharmaceutical companies physically employing a GP to look after their employees. Does the ICGP see that as a growing trend because of the problems those companies are having in holding onto staff? This is an additional plus they can offer staff.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: What is the ICGP's view on the timescale? In what kind of timescale would it like to see the task force reporting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Has the task force formally been set up at this stage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Is there someone within the Department who has taken on responsibility for-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: -----the connection with all of the organisations involved, including the Irish Medical Organisation and the ICGP? Has there been discussion with them to ensure the terms of reference can be signed off on by, for example, the end of January?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Does Mr. Foy believe we can actually get this signed off by the end of January? If it is not signed off on by all of the organisations by the end of January, it is going to drag into February and then into March. I am a bit concerned about the time it takes Departments to set up reviews and then to get them working.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: The committee should write to the Minister and ask that timelines be set out for the review to be signed off on, established and got up and running and functioning.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: The ICGP report published in October referred to the Scottish system in relation to medical students. We do not have a system here in Ireland where medical students work within GP practice for a period. They attend clinics in hospitals but I understand they are not in GP practices while they are going to college. Am I correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Has the college engaged with the universities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Does it believe it would be of assistance in trying to get more of those graduating into the GP system?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: If that were put in place and an agreement reached on it, then the question would be the number of GP practices that would be prepared to come on board to facilitate that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Would that be a challenge?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: In the past six years in Ireland, the number of people working in the hospital system has increased from 103,000 to more than 137,000 whole-time equivalents. That is an increase of over 33%. That has been achieved in a six-year time period. Can we reach the targets the ICGP is talking about on the basis it gets support from the Department of Health and the HSE right across the board?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: That was my argument because, in real terms, we would be producing more doctors. If I borrow €100,000 to set up a business in the morning, I can write that €100,000 off against tax, but if I borrow €100,000 to go to college and I am providing a service when I qualify, and it is an essential service, I cannot write it off against tax.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Another problem for those students is that all the financial institutions are refusing to provide loans for those students, as I understand it. There is now a difficulty in their getting loans.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: The ICGP has not had any engagement with the banks on this issue at this stage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: But it believes it is something that needs to be dealt with.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Looking what has happened in recent years, and given the number coming out next year is 285, what percentage of those who qualify is likely to go to another jurisdiction to work for a period of time? Is that a particular challenge at the moment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: My final point is on the whole issue of the task force. One of the problems I have when committees or task forces are set up is the timescale involved. Has the ICGP talked to the Department about setting out a clear timescale as to when the task force will deliver and set out a clear plan for dealing with the challenges we have?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I return to the issue of postgraduates who go to college and have to pay full fees because they already have a university degree. I have had this argument with the Department of Finance over the past three to four years about how they cannot write that loan off against tax once they qualify. Has ICGP had any engagement with the Department of Finance on that? It is a challenge if someone is...