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General Practitioner Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2020

Tuesday, 17 November 2020

Questions (807)

David Cullinane

Question:

807. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans for increasing the number of general practitioners in the health system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36860/20]

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Written answers

The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice and has implemented a number of measures to improve recruitment and retention in this area.

These include changes to the entry provisions to the GMS scheme to accommodate more flexible/shared GMS GP contracts, and to the retirement provisions for GPs under the GMS scheme, allowing GPs to hold GMS contracts until their 72nd birthday. Enhanced supports for rural GP practices have also been introduced. 

The 2019 Agreement on GP contractual reforms will see the Government increase investment in general practice by approximately 40% (€210 million) between 2019 and 2023, providing for significant increases in capitation fees for GPs who participate in the reform programme and the introduction of new fees and subsidies for additional services such as the chronic disease programme. There will also be increased support for GPs working in disadvantaged urban areas, and improvements have been made to maternity and paternity leave arrangements.

The number of GPs entering training has been increased steadily over the previous years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 214 in 2020, with a further increase foreseen in 2021.The planned transfer of responsibility for training GPs from the HSE to the Irish College of General Practitioners, pending the resolution of certain outstanding issues, will allow for further increases in the number of training places in future years. 

These measures will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country. 

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