Written answers

Thursday, 24 October 2024

Department of Health

General Practitioner Services

Photo of James LawlessJames Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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323. To ask the Minister for Health to examine a major lack in GPs in the Naas area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43618/24]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place 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 2,544 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 start of the October, there are no GMS vacancies in the Naas area.

Where a person who holds a medical card or GP visit card, experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept them as a patient, that person having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs there) can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign a GMS patient to a GP's GMS patient list in accordance with the GMS contract. People who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with.

The Government is actively working to increase the number of GPs practising in the State and thereby improve access to GP services for all patients across the country.

Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice was increased by €211.6m. This provided for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees for additional services and increased practice supports. The GP Agreement 2023 further increased GP capitation fees, increased the existing subsidy rates for practice staff, and introduced a grant support for additional staff capacity as well a practice staff maternity leave support. These measures make general practice in Ireland a more attractive career choice for doctors.

Annual intake to the GP training scheme has been increased by approximately 80% over the last 5 years. 347 new entrants commenced training this year, a 21% increase on last year’s intake of 286. Furthermore, the recruitment of GPs from abroad is ongoing under the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. 75 IMG GPs commenced in practice under the programme in 2023; recruitment is continuing this year and funding has been provided to recruit up to 250 more GPs from outside Ireland to the country next year.

Lastly, a Strategic Review of General Practice is underway. The review, with input from key stakeholders, is examining the broad range of issues affecting general practice including issues related to GP capacity. When completed, the review will set out the measures necessary to deliver a more sustainable general practice into the future.

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