Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
704. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to address the shortage of GPs in the west Cork area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33609/23]
View answerThe Government recognises that there are significant challenges facing general practice, and that these challenges limit access to GP services in certain areas, including West Cork and impact on the timely provision of care.
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.
Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Currently there are 2,545 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme.
Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the recruitment process to find a replacement GP. While recruitment is ongoing, the HSE put a locum or other suitable arrangement in place to provide continuity of care for the area concerned. As of the start of the month, there are 31 GMS vacancies across the country, approximately 1 percent of the total number of GMS panels. There are no GMS vacancies in West Cork.
While the HSE provides a contribution towards locum expenses for leave taking purposes to GPs under the GMS contract, as private practitioners, locum cover is arranged by the GP concerned as necessary. The relevant HSE Community Health Organisation will assist a GMS GP in providing locum cover where possible.
As was announced last week, agreement has been reached with the IMO to extend eligibility for GP visit cards to people who earn up to the median household income and to children aged 6 & 7. Approximately 500,000 additional persons are expected to become eligible for free GP care under this expansion, the largest expansion of access to GP care without charges in the history of the State. This new GP agreement includes additional capacity supports to enable the expansion and retention of staffing within general practice. It includes additional supports for GP Out of Hours services. A new form of practice grant will also be made available to GPs for additional support staff, in addition to an increase in the existing Practice Support Subsidy.
A ring-fenced fund of €0.6m is being made available to support the delivery of an initiative to support rural GPs, including assistance sourcing locum cover. The HSE will collaborate with the IMO to implement this element of the Agreement.
In relation to the specific staffing matter raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
