Alan Kelly
Question:1043. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the extra funding he plans to provide for general practitioner services in 2020 and 2021. [14874/20]
View answerTuesday, 14 July 2020
Questions (1043)
Written answers
The agreement reached between the Department of Health, the HSE, and the IMO on GP Contractual Reform and Service Development, finalised in May 2019, provided for phased increases in the rates of capitation and other allowances paid to GPs as well as for the introduction of new services, including the Chronic Disease Management Programme and supports for practices in areas of deprivation.
The additional cost of implementing the Agreement in 2019 was €27.3 million, with an additional €53 million required in 2020, bringing the total available funding for 2020 to over €80 million. A further funding requirement of €62.5 million is foreseen for 2021.
In addition to this, a package of measures to support general practice was introduced from 16 March last in order to take account of the impact of COVID on general practice and to ensure that GPs were in a position to provide essential COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 services. These measures included fees payable from 16 March for the provision of remote consultations, respiratory assessment clinics and extended opening hours. The cost of these supports to date is approximately €60 million and is expected to reach approximately €100 million by mid-August.