Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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677. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the GP rural practice allowance and the supports in place for GPs operating in rural areas. [16707/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Where a GP, who holds a General Medical Services (GMS) contract, lives and practices in a centre with a population of less than 500 and where there is not a town with a population of 1,500 or more within a 4.83 km (3 mile) radius of that centre, the GP will be entitled to a Rural Practice Allowance. The Rural Practice Allowance under the capitation agreement is currently set at €16,216.07 per annum.

As a result of satisfying the criteria for payment of the Rural Practice Allowance, the GP is also entitled to claim practice support subsidies (Practice Nurse, Practice Secretary and Practice Manager) at the maximum applicable rate which he/she would otherwise only be entitled to claim if he/she had a panel size of 1,200 and over. The GP would also be entitled to claim the maximum applicable contribution towards locum costs for periods of sick leave, annual leave, study leave, maternity leave and adoptive leave. In remote areas, where an alternative to dispensing by the GP is considered not to be feasible by the HSE, a dispensing GP is entitled to receive payment for dispensing to his/her GMS patients.