Cathal Crowe
Question:1206. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if grants are available to help a GP set up a new practice facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27853/23]
View answerTuesday, 13 June 2023
Questions (1206, 1207)
Cathal Crowe
Question:1207. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if there is any funding stream by which a community can undertake capital works to facilitate the establishment of a GP practice in their locality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27854/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1206 and 1207 together.
GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or community.
General practitioners who hold a GMS contract are reimbursed for the services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders on behalf of the HSE. GMS GPs are remunerated through capitation payments and fee-per-item payments for certain services, and GP practices also receive a range of financial supports.
Under the GMS scheme, GPs are paid a subsidy towards the cost of employing a practice nurse and/or a practice secretary. The rate payable depends on the GP's GMS panel size and the level of experience of the nurse or secretary. A practice manager subsidy is also available. GPs working in rural areas who meet the qualifying criteria will qualify for an annual rural support allowance. In addition, contributions are made towards locum costs for various GP leave arrangements.
Other than the practice supports provided under the GMS scheme, financial supports specific to the establishment of practices are not provided.
The Government has taken a number of steps in recent years, and provided for significant additional funding for general practice, to increase the number of GPs practising in the State and thereby increasing access to GP services.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has been increased now by €211.6m, which provides, amongst other things, for increased practice supports. The number of doctors entering GP training has been increased in recent years, rising from 193 in 2019 to 258 in 2022, with 285 new entrants places made available for this year and 350 places now planned for next year. Furthermore, the joint HSE and ICGP programme to bring 100 non-EU GPs to Ireland in 2023 will help to quickly improve access to GP services, particularly in areas with limited access.
In April, I published the Terms of Reference for a Strategic review of General Practice which will commence shortly and is to be completed this year. The review, with input from key stakeholders, will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice including issues around GP capacity, and will set out the measures necessary to deliver a better general practice. Issues in regard to practice establishment and succession planning are specific areas that will be examined under the review.
It is worth noting that some GP practices operate from Primary Care Centres (PCCs). PCCs are modern, purpose-designed buildings that provide a single location for a primary care team to work from. PCCs support the delivery of integrated care by facilitating closer coordination and cooperation between health professionals from across different disciplines, and act as a single point of access to services, including GP services. There are currently 167 Primary Care Centres operational nationally and a further 13 currently in construction, with 10 of these due to open during 2023.
Question No. 1207 answered with Question No. 1206.