Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 May 2021
176. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he will carry out an audit in counties Kildare, Laois and Offaly on the availability of general practitioners for those with medical cards with a view to addressing the inability of patients to find general practitioners accepting public patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23362/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraGPs are self-employed private 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 provisions of the Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Act 2012, a GP can enter into a State contract to provide GP services provided he/she is on the Medical Council's Specialist Register in the Speciality of General Practice, irrespective of the number of GPs who are already established in an area.
Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the selection process to find a replacement GP. There are currently no GMS GP vacancies in the counties concerned.
While there are no plans to carry out an audit of the GP services in these locations, the Government, aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, has implemented a number of measures to improve recruitment and retention in general practice.
These measures include an increase in investment in general practice by approximately 40% (€210 million) over the period 2019 - 2023 under the terms of the 2019 GP Agreement on contractual reform and service development. The Agreement provides for increased support for GPs working in rural practices and for those in disadvantaged urban areas, and for improvements to maternity and paternity leave arrangements. In addition, the number of GPs entering training has been increased steadily over the past ten years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 213 in 2020, with a further increase foreseen in 2021. The ICGP noted a record number of applications for the 2021 GP training programme.
These measures will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
