Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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278. To ask the Minister for Health if additional funding will be provided to enable the HSE to directly employ a general practitioner at a health centre (details supplied). [30785/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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General Practitioners (GPs) are not employees of the HSE, rather GPs are self-employed private practitioners, most of whom have contracts with the HSE to provide services under various public health schemes.

Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service.

Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the recruitment process to find a replacement GP. I am not aware however of any current GMS vacancies within the relevant area. As the Health Service Executive has responsibility for the provision and operation of Primary Care Centres, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy regarding the availability of GP services at the centre concerned and in the local area.