Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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2687. To ask the Minister for Health the number of GPs currently practicing in County Meath; the GP-to-population ratio for the county; how this compares with the national average and with neighbouring counties such as Louth, Kildare, and Westmeath; her Department's assessment of the impact of this disparity on patient access; the specific actions being taken to improve GP coverage in Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41443/25]

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. 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 May, there are 21 GMS vacancies across the country. There are no GMS vacancies in Co. Meath.

It is acknowledged that there is limited access to GP services in certain areas. A number of measures have been taken in recent years to increase the number of GPs practicing in the State and thereby improve access to GP services for all patients across the country.

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 provided for increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees for additional services and increased practice supports, including the introduction of a support for practices in urban areas of social deprivation.

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. As of June, 118 IMG doctors are 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.

Regarding the specific questions on GP numbers in Co. Meath, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. Please note that as GPs are private practitioners, it may only be possible for the HSE to respond in relation to individual HSE contracted GPs.