Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

489. To ask the Minister for Health the ratio of doctors to population; the ratio of acute hospital beds per person; the number of specialists and the amount of money invested in primary care; the way this compares with other European Union states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15499/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In 2012 (the latest year available for international comparisons) the estimated number of professionally active physicians in Ireland was 14,500 or 3.2 per 1,000 population. According to OECD data, the average based on the 10 EU member states where data is available is 3.4.

In 2014 there were 6,825 active specialists on the Medical Council Register with Irish addresses. Of these, 2,710 were general practitioners. EU data includes trainee specialists and these cannot be separated out, so it is not possible to provide a valid comparison with other EU member states.

The latest comparative data on the ratio of acute beds in EU member states is for 2012 according to the OECD. The number of curative (acute) care beds per 1,000 population in Ireland in 2012 is 2.1. This compares to an EU average (based on the 19 states where data was available) of 3.5. It should be noted that Irish data does not currently include beds in private hospitals, whereas these beds may be included in data from other member states.

The HSE's National Service Plan 2015 provides overall funding of the order of €3,211.8 million for primary care. This includes €2,485.8 million for the Primary Care Reimbursement Service, including Local Schemes. We are not in a position to compare this against Primary Care funding provided in other EU countries.

The above should clarify and answer the Deputy's questions.