Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
1630. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to support GPs and dentists to begin to take on new patients covered by medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17551/23]
View answerUnder the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Currently there are 2,539 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme. Where a person who holds a medical card or GP visit card experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept them as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs in the area) can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice and is working to increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has been increased now by €211.6m. This provides for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees and subsidies for additional services. Improvements to GP’s maternity and paternity leave arrangements and a support for GPs in disadvantaged urban areas have been provided for, and the supports for rural GP practices have also been increased.
The number of doctors entering GP training has increased approximately ten percent year on year from 2019, rising from 193 in 2019 to 258 in 2022, and a further large increase is planned for this year. Following the transfer of responsibility for GP training from the HSE to the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), it is aimed to have 350 training places available for new entrants per year by 2026.
Furthermore, I recently published the Terms of Reference for a Strategic review of General Practice which is to commence shortly and will be completed this year. The review, with input from key stakeholders, will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice, and will set out the measures necessary to deliver a more sustainable general practice.
In regard to dentists, the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees for contractors across most treatment items. Since these measures came into effect, both the numbers of treatments and patients being seen have increased.
It is a top priority for myself and for the Government to improve patient access to oral healthcare services, both in the short term through the introduction of such measures, and in the long term through transformational reform of oral healthcare services in Ireland. This reform will be achieved through implementation of the National Oral Health Policy.
