Vol. 449 No. 1
71 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Health the action, if any, he proposes to take in view of statistical evidence which indicates that this country has the lowest number of doctors per capita of any county in the EU, the EU average being 2.5 per 1000 inhabitants and this country's being 1.3 per 1000. [3090/95]
Limerick East): Information supplied by the Medical Council indicates that on 1 April 1994 there were 9,824 fully registered medical practitioners on its General Register of Medical Practitioners. This works out at 2.8 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants. Statistics on the number of doctors in practice would indicate a ratio of approximately 1.9 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants.
In the programme for Government, A Government of Renewal the Government has made it clear that health policy will develop within the framework outlined in the health strategy, Shaping a Healthier Future. This strategy lays particular emphasis on the outcomes of health services as well as the staffing and other inputs that are required to deliver the services. In this context the number of medical and other practitioners employed in the public health system is regarded as one of the many variables to be taken into account in framing future policy.
It has been, and will continue to be the practice, that where desirable policy developments which can be funded require the appointment of additional medical and other staff, such appointments are approved by my Department. Beyond that, I do not believe that there would be any policy rationale for seeking to increase the ratio of doctors to population to the statistically measured rate in other EU member countries.
