Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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269. To ask the Minister for Health the share of general medical services scheme practices that received the social deprivation practice grant, in the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17858/25]

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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270. To ask the Minister for Health the number of general medical services scheme practices in receipt of the social deprivation practice grant, in the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17859/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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271. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide a comprehensive list of support schemes and grants general practitioners on the general medical services scheme can avail of; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17860/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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General practitioners who hold a GMS contract are reimbursed for the services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders on behalf of the HSE. GMS GPs are remunerated through capitation payments and fee-per-item payments for certain services. Practices also receive a range of financial supports.

Under the GMS scheme, the financial supports available to eligible GPs/GP practices include practice staff supports, locum contributions for leave taking, rural practice supports, and a support for practices in urban areas of deprivation. A contribution to GMS GPs medical indemnity insurance is also paid.

Regarding practice staff supports, GPs are paid a subsidy towards the cost of employing a practice nurse and/or a practice secretary. The rate payable depends on the GP's GMS panel size and the level of experience of the nurse or secretary. A practice manager subsidy is also available. The rate of these subsidies was increased under the 2023 GP Agreement. The 2023 agreement added General Practice Assistant to the staff subsidies, and introduced a new support grant for additional staff capacity as well as a staff support for the taking of maternity leave.

Eligible GMS GPs are provided with locum contributions for various types of leave taking, such as annual leave, sick leave, and study leave. The contribution rates may vary by type and duration, per day or per week, with the locum contribution rates for maternity and paternity leave doubled under the 2019 GP Agreement.

GMS GPs working in rural areas who meet the qualifying criteria receive an annual rural practice support allowance under the Rural Practice Support Framework. The 2019 GP Agreement increased the practice support package for rural GP practices by 10%. Practices in receipt of rural practice supports attract the maximum allowable rates for practice staff support subsidies and locum contributions for leave taking.

The 2019 GP Agreement also introduced a €2 million per annum support for GP practices in disadvantaged urban areas. The funding may be used for additional health personnel costs or for the provision of additional services.