David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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327. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to increase specialist training places for primary care; if this will include endometriosis screening for general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12187/22]

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.

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) which was concluded in 2021 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.

Endometriosis is a common condition with one in ten women of reproductive age affected. The variable and broad symptoms of endometriosis mean that healthcare workers do not easily diagnose it and many individuals suffering from it have limited awareness of the condition. Given that enhanced awareness, followed by early diagnosis and management may slow or halt the natural progression of the disease and reduce the long-term burden of its symptoms, it is critical that GPs are well informed regarding the typical symptoms which should raise a suspicion of endometriosis. GPs should be competent in the basic management of endometriosis and its possible complications in the community. Therefore, the ICGP has been delivering education around endometriosis to its members including a webinar on endometriosis in June 2021 which was attend by 1,567 GPs and a course in community gynaecology, which included the topic of endometriosis, in January of this year.  Over 200 GPs attended this education module.  In addition, endometriosis is included in the curriculum for all GP trainees in ICGP.

As part of its plans for 2022, the ICGP is engaging with the HSE's National Women and Infants Programme (NWHIP) to develop a Quick Reference Guide for GPs on the topic of endometriosis which aligns with the Model of Care for Endometriosis that is under development. To launch the guide ICGP would deliver a webinar to members and disseminate the guide through the college website, Ezine and Forum magazine. 

The Government is committed to developing women’s health services. Building on progress made in rolling out ambulatory gynaecology clinics in 2020 and 2021, funding has been provided under Budget 2022 which will facilitate the establishment of additional ambulatory gynaecology clinics, thereby completing the implementation of the Ambulatory Gynaecology Model of Care. This will bring the total number of these clinics to 20 nationally. Funding has also been provided to enable the expansion of the endometriosis service at Tallaght University Hospital as well as the establishment of a new service for more complex endometriosis cases at Cork University Maternity Hospital.