Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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458. To ask the Minister for Health the measures that have been agreed to date to support rural general practitioners; his plans to provide further assistance to protect their viability; the level of ongoing negotiation between his Department and representatives of general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42892/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme, where the doctor lives or practises 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 kilometre radius of that centre, the doctor is entitled to special rural practice concessions, including a Rural Practice Allowance. The current annual Rural Practice Allowance is €16,216.07.

As a result of satisfying the criteria for payment of this allowance, the GP is also entitled to claim practice support subsidies towards the employment of a Practice Nurse, Practice Secretary and/or Practice Manager at the maximum applicable rate which the doctor would otherwise only be entitled to claim if he or 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 leave.

Where a GP currently holds the Rural Practice Allowance but the circumstances underpinning this have changed, the GP retains the allowance while they continue to practise in this location. However, an application for the allowance is considered afresh by the HSE when a new GP commences in the area.

The HSE has recently reviewed its guidelines for dealing with applications for a Rural Practice Allowance. The purpose of the new guidance is to ensure consistency, transparency and fairness in decision-making in respect of the relevant discretionary provisions of the GMS contract pertaining to the granting or otherwise of the allowance to new applicants. The new guidance does not affect existing holders of the allowance.

The HSE, Department of Health and Irish Medical Organisation are currently engaged in a comprehensive review of the GMS and other publicly funded health sector contracts involving GPs. Among the many topics being looked at by this review process is the issue of supports for General Practice in remote rural areas.