I propose to take Questions Nos. 665 and 669 together.
At present, doctors who wish to pursue a career in General Practice must obtain a place on a 4 year vocational training course. Time spent on hospital rotation is not recognised for this purpose. "Fast track" training refers to a potential programme for doctors who have already gained some of the required hospital rotation experience through General Professional Training and who now wish to become GPs, but do not have access to GP Specialist training. No such programme currently exists in Ireland but the HSE is working with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) to develop such a training programme. It is envisaged that fast track training will be managed and delivered through the existing bodies that provide GP training.
In addition, the HSE and ICGP have reached agreement on an alternative route to specialist registration for doctors who have extensive experience in General Practice, but who lack some component of training to become eligible for specialist registration as a General Practitioner. Details of this "practice based assessment model" were published on the ICGP website in September 2011. The ICGP has advertised for personnel to implement the alternative model and this recruitment process is ongoing.
In 2009, there were 120 general practice postgraduate training places available. In 2010, that number was increased to 157. Funding for GP training nationally is €19.5m.
The details of the GP trainee places from 2009 to the present, broken down by HSE Region, are set out in the tables below:
HSE South
Programme
|
Places 2009
|
Extra places July 2010
|
Current-2012 Program total
|
Cork
|
10
|
2
|
12
|
Kerry
|
6
|
2
|
8
|
S/E (Waterford)
|
10
|
2
|
12
|
Totals
|
26
|
6
|
32
|
HSE Dublin N.E
Programme
|
Places 2009
|
Extra places July 2010
|
Current-2012 Program total
|
North Inner City
|
0
|
12
|
12
|
N/E. (Navan/Cavan)
|
10
|
4
|
14
|
Dublin N/E RCSI
|
8
|
1
|
9
|
Totals
|
18
|
17
|
35
|
HSE Dublin Mid Leinster
Programme
|
Places 2009
|
Extra places July 2010
|
Current-2012 Program total
|
Mid Leinster/UCD
|
9
|
3
|
12
|
Mid Lnstr (Tmore, Naas Ptlse)
|
16
|
4
|
20
|
TCD
|
12
|
3
|
15
|
Totals
|
37
|
10
|
47
|
HSE West
Programme
|
Places 2009
|
Extra places July 2010
|
Current-2012 Program total
|
Donegal
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
Sligo
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
Galway
|
15
|
0
|
15
|
Ballinasloe
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
Limerick
|
8
|
4
|
12
|
Total
|
39
|
4
|
43
|
Grand Total
|
120
|
37
|
157
|