Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 March 2024
301. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of GPs currently practicing in the counties Louth and Meath, respectively; the number of new GPs who have taken up work in each of those counties in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13408/24]
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 2,530 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme, and a further 599 GPs hold some other contract with the HSE for the provision of health services such as services under the Primary Childhood Immunisation Scheme or National Cancer Screening Service.
In relation to the numbers of HSE contacted GPs in Louth and Meath, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
