Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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959. To ask the Minister for Health the number of general practitioners required based on the population of a town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16377/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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General Practitioners are private contractors. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of General Practitioners that can set up in a town or community.

Under the provisions of the Health (Provision of General Practitioner) Act 2012, a GP can enter into a state contract to provide GP services provided he/she is on the Medical Council's Specialist Register in General Practice, irrespective of the number of GPs that are already established in an area.

Under the terms of the General Medical Services and GP Visit Card contracts, the number of persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card on a GP's patient panel may not exceed 2,000, except in exceptional circumstances. Under the terms of the contract for the provision of services to children under six years of age, the aggregate number patients under six and all other patients who hold a medical card or GP visit card on a GP’s patient panel may not exceed 2,200, except in exceptional circumstances. The State does not prescribe the number of private patients that may be registered with a GP; this is a matter for individual GP practices.