GP crisis in Louth states Ó Murchú

The government is ‘failing miserably’ to get to grips with the GP crisis as new figures from doctors’ organisation, the Irish College of GPs (ICGP) shows there has been a reduction in the numbers operating in Louth, according to Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú.

In a new study published last week, ICGP showed how there are 106 GPs available in Louth in 2023, a reduction of 2.8% from the previous year’s figure of 109.

That equates to one GP per 76 GPs per 100,000 people and shows that doctor numbers are not growing fast enough to meet demand.
The worst place in the State for GP numbers is Meath, with 54 per 100,000 population, while the best places were Galway and Waterford, with 102 GPs in each county per 100,000 people.

The World Health Organisation says an adequate number of GPs per 100,000 population is 100.
Deputy Ó Murchú said the report showed a worrying trend in Louth, with a reduction in the number of doctors. He said he had raised the issue of the lack of availability of GPs a number of times in Leinster House.

Deputy Ó Murchú said: ‘The government is failing miserably on this issue.
‘I have seen in it my constituency office where people come to us looking for help in getting a GP in the Dundalk area. They have tried eight, ten places and are told they are not taking any new patients on.

‘It’s particularly difficult for private patients, or those without a medical card, because those who qualify for a medical card will be allocated a GP by the HSE when they are approved for the GMS scheme.

‘The government needs to get its act together and ensure there is proper workforce planning so that there is an increase in GP numbers. They also need to focus on the fact that the private practice model of doctors’ surgeries is not working in modern Ireland and the solution will involve greater State intervention’.

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