David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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106. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to increase specialist training places in particular for general practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50780/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE takes several factors into consideration when making its annual assessment of the number and type of specialist training places required within each specialty including but not limited to, future medical workforce planning projections, the number currently in training and the training capacity within the health system.

Targeted increases across a number of specialist training programmes are planned for July 2022 and the HSE is currently working with all relevant stakeholders to agree the July 2022/23 specialist training intakes, including Surgery, Medicine, Psychiatry and General Practice.

Increases in training posts provide enhanced opportunities for doctors in Ireland and will ultimately support the delivery of shorter waiting times, the reduction of inappropriate hospital admissions, improved patient flow, and earlier discharge of patients to the community.

Specifically in relation to General Practice, the number of GPs entering training has increased steadily over the past number of years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 233 in 2021. The transfer of GP Training from the HSE to the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) this year bought GP training in line with other medical specialities where responsibility for training lies with the respective vocational bodies. This transfer will allow for the introduction of a new service model for GP training in Ireland and the further expansion GP training capacity in the years ahead.