Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2022
516. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the plans that are in place and being considered to resource rural general practice to attract general practitioners; the measures that will be put in place to achieve this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46994/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraGPs 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.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, including the limited access to GP services in certain rural areas, and has implemented a number of measures to improve recruitment and retention in general practice.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement between the Department of Health, the HSE and IMO, over €210 million in annual funding has been committed to provide for a more sustainable general practice.
In addition to increased service payments to GPs and the allocation of resources to implement the Chronic Disease Management Programme, the Agreement provided for a 10 percent increase in payments under the pre-existing Rural Practice Support Framework and a 28 percent increase to dispensing doctor fees. Practices in receipt of rural practice supports attract the maximum allowable rates for practice staff support subsidies and locum contributions for leave taking.
The Agreement also provides for support for GPs working in disadvantaged urban areas, and for improved family friendly arrangements, with an increases in the locum rate for maternity and paternity cover, and an increase in the paternity leave allowance from 3 days to 2 weeks.
The number of doctors entering GP training has increased approximately ten percent year on year from 2019, rising from 193 in 2019 to 258 in 2022. Following the transfer of responsibility for GP training from the HSE to the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), the ICGP aims to have 350 training places available for new entrants per year by 2026.
Preparatory work has commenced on a strategic review of GP services to examine how best to ensure the provision of GP services in Ireland for the future. The review will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice in general and in rural areas specifically, and will set out the measures necessary to deliver a better general practice.
Overall, 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.
