Primary care centres and GP contract
Deputy Niall Collins raised problems with rolling out primary care centres and shortages of GPs, pressing for progress on the new GP contract. The Tánaiste said primary care centres were a priority and talks on a modern GP contract had begun.
With regard to the ongoing crisis we are unfortunately experiencing in regard to primary care, what is the Government's position going to be on the rolling out of primary care centres? There is chaos in terms of the HSE's ability to deliver primary care centres.
With regard to the negotiation of a new GP contract, I will give the example of my own constituency where there are 46 GPs. Eleven of them are due to retire within the next five years. They cannot find replacements, cover or locum GPs. In the context of the negotiation of the new GP contract, bearing in mind that the existing contract is 40 years in existence and is not suitable to the modern day delivery of GP care, when will that legislation be tabled?
Comment on this
The Government regards the development of our primary care centres as an absolute priority. The Minister said that he has three priorities. One of them was the development of the new GP contract. I am glad to say that discussions are under way through initial engagement with the GP representative bodies. That has been very important and it started in January 2017. The aim is to develop a new and modern GP services contract because, as the Deputy said, it has not been renegotiated for decades. It is absolutely essential. The discussions have started and it is a priority. The situation we want to arrive at is that the GP services contract will incorporate a range of standard and enhanced services to be delivered to the public. The discussions are under way and there is engagement.