Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2023
684. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if the current GP contracts are deterring young GPs from practicing in rural parts of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34998/23]
View answerGPs 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.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, including the limited access to GP services in certain areas, and is working to ensure that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has been increased now by €211.6m. The Agreement provides for an increase in capitation fees for participating GPs, additional services, improved family arrangements as well as a targeted €2 million fund to support to practices in deprived urban areas.
In addition to the more general measures taken to increase the number of GPs in the State, specific supports are in place to support GPs in rural areas.
The practice support package for rural GP practices which was introduced previously has been increased by 10% under the 2019 GP Agreement. Practices in receipt of rural practice supports attract the maximum allowable rates for practice staff support subsidies and locum contributions for leave taking. Specific fees are also in place for dispensing doctors (who operate in rural areas), these have been increased by 28% under the Agreement.
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. 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. This grant may be shared between practices under certain circumstances.
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.
Furthermore, I recently 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. The provision of GP services in certain rural and urban deprived areas that are underserved, and the possible mechanisms to attract more GPs to these locations, is a specific issue that will be examined under the review.
