The development of general practitioner services is an important element of the National Health Strategy. The strategy identifies the fragmentation of general practice as a major weakness which as a result makes it both difficult and costly to improve services and to integrate general practice with other health services mainly hospital and community services. In order to address such deficiencies the strategy contains a plan for improving the organisation of general practitioner services through the development of group practices, amalgamated practices or through co-operative type arrangements between general practitioners. As part of the implementation of the strategy, my Department has requested health boards as a matter of priority to improve the organisation of services to meet the twin objectives of improving patient care and enhancing the quality of general practice.
The implementation of such developments in Cork city is a matter for the Southern Health Board. The Board in consultation with general practitioners locally intends to bring about improvements in general practitioner services, including organisational improvements which are in line with the strategy commitments. In that regard the Board has invested proposals from general practitioners who are interested in organising and developing their practices in accordance with the objectives outlined above. The Board has received a proposal from general practitioners in the Mayfield area of Cork city. I have been given to understand that the Board is supporting these developments on the basis that they are in line with the strategy priorities, that the co-operative arrangements between general practitioners are viable and sustainable and can improve the quality of general practice for the patients of the doctors concerned. Similar proposals from other general practitioners which are in line with these criteria will also be supported by the Board.