Health Committee to discuss issues relating to General Practice with representatives from the ICGP and the IMO

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The Committee welcomes the opportunity to hear from GP representative organisations about the issues facing General Practice.”

“Several reports have highlighted the issues facing General Practice from retirements, burnout, retention issues, changing demographics and the pandemic.”

“The pandemic exacerbated issues for General Practice but as we begin to emerge, it is clear that many of the same issues remain.”

“The volume of appointments, workload and management responsibilities make general practice less attractive to doctors seeking a better quality of life abroad. GPs across the country demonstrated their flexibility by aiding the vaccine rollout and providing additional care and support to patients with Covid-19 on top of their regular workload and the HSE Cyberattack.

“There is less than 1 GP per 1000 head of population in Ireland and the health service needs to prepare for the number of GPs who plan on retiring or emigrating in the coming years. These and other challenges have been well flagged by the IMO and ICGP and the Committee looks forward to discussing the issues with representatives.”

Watch the Committee live here.