Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 May 2018
402. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of general practitioners practising here; the number who are not on the specialist general practitioner register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22433/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile no central register exists specifically for GPs working in Ireland, all doctors in practice in Ireland must be registered with the Medical Council.
A number of sources provide data on GPs working in Ireland at present. The Medical Council collects and analyses data from the general, specialist and trainee specialist registers to produce valuable data on the GP workforce. The HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service collects data on the number of GMS contract-holders and those GPs delivering state-funded primary care services. The Irish College of General Practitioners also collects and analyses data on the GP workforce, including the number of doctors registered for professional competence and those holding membership of the ICGP.
The number of doctors on the Medical Council’s Specialist Register in General Practice has increased from 2,270 in 2010 to 3,668 as at 18 May 2018. Holding registration does not, however, necessarily mean that a medical practitioner is active in general practice at the time.
Doctors on the Medical Council’s General Register may practice independently without supervision but may not falsely represent themselves as holding specialist or trainee specialist registration. There are currently 9,805 doctors registered on the General Register of the Medical Council. All doctors registered with the Medical Council must maintain professional competence by enrolling in a professional competence scheme and maintain professional competence activities that are relevant to their practice.
In the last ten years, the number of GPs contracted by the HSE to provide services to medical card holders and GP visit card holders under the GMS scheme has increased. At the end of 2008 there were 2,098 GPs who held GMS contracts. As of 1 May 2018, 2,491 GPs hold GMS contracts. Many GPs also hold contracts with the HSE to provide services under other state schemes, e.g. the Primary Childhood Immunisation Programme. There are a further 420 GPs without GMS contracts who hold other such contracts with the HSE, bringing the total number of GPs contracted by the HSE at present to 2,911.
Under the terms of the Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Act 2012, it became mandatory for a GP to be on the Medical Council’s Specialist Register in the specialty of General Practice in order to obtain a GMS contract. However, there would be a number of GMS contract holders who are not on the Specialist Register who would have obtained their GMS contract prior to this legislation being enacted.
The number of doctors who provide general practitioner services to patients exclusively on a private basis is not collected by my Department or HSE.
