Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
337. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which efforts are being made to replace GPs where the incumbents have retired leaving vacancies throughout the country; the number of such vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2334/24]
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.
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 2,518 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 December last, there are 23 GMS vacancies across the country, slightly less than 1 percent of the total number of GMS panels. 12 of the 23 GMS vacancies are in rural areas. It is acknowledged that certain vacancies can be difficult to fill, possibly due to location and/or the financial viability of smaller practices.
The Government has undertaken several measures to increase GP capacity and to improved access to services. The 2019 GP Agreement provided for increased annual investment of over €211 million for general practice, providing for increased GMS GP fees, supports and new services. A further €30 million has been provided for under the GP Agreement 2023 for practice supports to expand and retain practice staff.
The annual intake of doctors into the GP training programme has been increased by 80% from 2015 to 2023; there were 286 new entrants to GP training in 2023 and it is planned to increase the number of places for new entrants to 350 for this year. Furthermore, the joint HSE ICGP non-EU Rural GP Programme commenced last year with the intention of bring up to 100 non-EU GPs to Ireland in 2023, and it is planned to bring up to 250 more non-EU GPs here by the end of this year.
Of particular relevance, the GP Agreement 2023 provides for a pilot initiative on hard to fill GMS vacancies whereby GP services in an area with a suitable GMS vacancy would be provided by a nearby affiliated practice with hours of scheduled availability in the area agreed in advance with the HSE. The Strategic Review of General Practice, which is currently underway, is examining the broad range of issues affecting general practice, including issues related to GP capacity and the consideration of mechanisms to attract GPs to rural and urban deprived areas. When completed, the review will set out recommendation actions to deliver a more sustainable general practice into the future.
