John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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877. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to open a further general practitioner practice in an area (details supplied) given that the population is increasing and a large retirement home will be opening in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16382/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs are self-employed private practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the selection process to find a replacement GP. There is currently no GMS GP vacancy in the locality concerned.

The Government, aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, has implemented a number of measures to improve recruitment and retention in general practice.

These measures include an increase in investment in general practice by approximately 40% (€210 million) between 2019 and 2023 under the terms of the 2019 GMS GP Agreement GP. The Agreement provides for increased support for GPs working in rural practices and for those in disadvantaged urban areas, and for improvements to maternity and paternity leave arrangements. In addition, the number of GPs entering training has been increased steadily over the past ten years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 214 in 2020, with a further increase foreseen in 2021. The ICGP noted a record number of applications for the 2021 GP training programme.

These measures will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.