Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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2014. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to ensure that it is attractive for general practitioners to take up positions in rural practices in view of the difficulty being experienced in many cases attracting new doctors to such practices when doctors retire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36182/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, including those effecting certain rural areas, and has implemented a number of measures to improve recruitment and retention in general practice.

These include changes to the entry provisions to the GMS scheme to accommodate more flexible/shared GMS GP contracts, and to the retirement provisions for GPs under the GMS scheme, allowing GPs to hold GMS contracts until their 72nd birthday. Enhanced supports for rural GP practices have also been introduced.

The 2019 Agreement on GP contractual reforms will see the Government increase investment in general practice by approximately 40% (€210 million) between 2019 and 2023, providing for significant increases in capitation fees for GPs who participate in the reform programme and the introduction of new fees and subsidies for additional services such as the chronic disease programme. 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.

The number of GPs entering training has been increased steadily over the previous years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 213 in 2020. Following the transfer of responsibility for training General Practitioners from the HSE to the Irish College of General Practitioners, the number of GPs entering training has further increased this year to 233.

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.