asked the Minister for Health when he proposes to implement the recommendations of the informal working group established by his Department which concluded over one year ago that the number of places for general practitioner training should be approximately 75 per annum.
Written Answers - Informal Review Group Recommendations.
21.
The informal review group made a number of recommendations and these have been under active consideration by my Department, by the health boards and by other interested parties. Some boards have already responded and when outstanding responses are to hand officials of my Department and chief executive officers will meet to determine the strategy for an expansion of training schemes.
In this regard, the Deputy will appreciate that any decisions on expansion of the scheme must have regard to Government policy on public expenditure levels and the consequences for the health services share of available resources.
When advising health agencies of their non-capital allocations for 1988 I made specific reference to the fact that the cost of existing schemes for vocational training of general practitioners is fully provided for within the figure.