Report warns of GP shortage

Doctors have welcomed reports published today from Competition Authority that found Ireland is facing a shortage of GP services due to a “bottleneck” in training.

In a series of reports on general medical practitioners, the authority recommends an improved supply of GPs and the advertising of their services. The authority said doctors wishing to become GPs must undertake four years of specialised training in addition to their medical degree and some of this is repeated.

It recommends doctors who have relevant hospital training and experience should, subject to a short orientation course, be allowed proceed immediately to the two years training in a general practice. “This will result in more GPs being trained as quickly and as cheaply as possible and help alleviate predicted shortages in GP services,” the report said.

In terms of advertising for their services the authority said new Medical Council guidelines published last month have removed traditional restrictions on GPs in this area.

“If GPs respond to this development patients should start to see more information about the services available to them and how much they can expect to pay,” the report said.

The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) welcomed the authority's report. In a statement, it noted the CA's backing for the expansion of GP training and the provision of a shortened GP training programme for doctors who have attained prior relevant hospital experience.

The ICGP and the HSE are holding discussions on an expansion of GP training places from 120 to 160 in line with the recent ESRI and Fás reports on workforce planning in health care. The ICGP said it was hoped to agree an expanded intake from July 1st, 2010.

Dr Mark Walsh, ICGP chairman, said guidelines on the advertising of GP services recently published by the Medical Council "will facilitate general practices to provide health information to targeted populations . . . thus enhancing the continuing care relationship". He said the issue of pricing was not a matter for his organisation.

Director of the Competition Authority’s advocacy division Declan Purcell said people are delaying visits to GPs as the cost has risen faster than inflation.

“Increasing the supply of GPs quickly, and raising awareness of the services available and their prices, should go some way towards improving access to GP services,” Mr Purcell said.

Part three of the authority’s report into GPs will be published in 2010.