Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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192. To ask the Minister for Health if he will give positive consideration to the building identified by the local community in Newmarket-on-Fergus (details supplied) as a replacement venue for the local GP practice. [25031/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a location of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or community.

Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Currently there are 2,539 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme. Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the recruitment process to find a replacement GP. As of the 1st of May there are 30 GMS GP vacancies, this includes a vacancy in Kilrush and in Lisdoonvarna in County Clare.

The Government has undertaken several measures to improve the number of GPs working in the State and ensure patients continue to have access to GP services across the country.

Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has been increased now by €211.6m. This provides for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees and subsidies for additional services. Improvements to GP’s maternity and paternity leave arrangements and a support for GPs in disadvantaged urban areas, have also been provided for. In addition, the enhanced supports package for rural GP practices was increased by 10%.

The number of doctors entering GP training has increased approximately ten percent year on year from 2019, rising from 193 in 2019 to 258 in 2022, with 285 new entrants places made available for this year. Working with the ICGP, it is aimed to have 350 training places available for new entrants per year by 2026.

The Terms of Reference for a Strategic review of General Practice were recently published. This review will commence shortly and is to be be completed this year. The review, with input from key stakeholders, will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice including issues around GP capacity, and will set out the measures necessary to deliver a better general practice. The provision of GP services in certain rural and urban deprived areas that are underserved, and the possible mechanisms to attract more GPs to these locations, is a specific issue that will be examined under the review.