Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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101. To ask the Minister for Health the specific actions her Department is taking to ensure that GP practices are being set up in disadvantaged areas and/or areas with few or no GPs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34933/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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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 2,558 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme. A further 629 GPs do not hold a GMS contract but do hold at least one other contract with the HSE. 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.

Measures have been taken to increase the number of GPs practising throughout the country, thereby improving access to services for all patients.

Significant increases in investment in general practice have been provided under the 2019 and 2023 GP Agreements. Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice was increased by €211.6m. This provides for increased capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, new fees for additional services and increased practice supports.

The 2019 GP Agreement also introduced a grant for urban practices with large numbers of GMS patients living in disadvantaged areas. The grant can be used to provide for additional services for patients and additional staff hours. Over 300 GPs received this grant last year.

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.

Annual intake to the GP training scheme has been increased by approximately 80% from 2019 to 2024, with 350 new entrant training places made available from 2024. As a result, the number of GP graduates has increased in recent years and will continue to increase in the coming years. Furthermore, recruitment of GPs from abroad is ongoing under the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. 118 IMG doctors are currently in practice here with a further 18 having completed the new 2-year programme. The placement of IMG GPs is targeted to rural and underserved areas.

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 and will consider possible mechanisms to attract GPs to rural and underserved areas. Following its completion, a final report will be presented to me outlining the findings of the review and setting out recommended actions for a more sustainable general practice.