Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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209. To ask the Minister for Health if he has received reports of the difficulty of persons in finding a general practitioner to accept them, particularly on the medical card scheme; and if he has discussed with the HSE the possibility of developing a better clearing-house system in order to assist patients in accessing care. [36341/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs are independent practitioners. Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders.

Where a GMS patient experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept him/her as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list.

People who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis in which the Minister has no role and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private contractors, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients.

The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, and acknowledge that some patients have difficulty in finding a local GP. We are working to ensure patients across the country continue to have access to GP services and that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future.

The 2019 Agreement on GP contractual reform and service development will see the Government increase annual investment in general practice by approximately 40% (€210 million) between 2019 and 2023. 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 number of years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 233 in 2021, with an intake of 258 planned for this year.

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.