New national analysis of GP shortages shows concerning patterns of workforce pressures in Dublin’s commuter belt, and the western seaboard.
The analysis by the Irish College of GPs also shows pressures on GP services in areas of urban deprivation on Dublin’s northside.
The latest data from the training body for GPs highlights the urgent need for supports for newly emerging GPs, and measures to ensure GP services are retained in low population areas as single-handed GPs retire.
The Irish College of GPs is the professional body for general practice in Ireland. The College is the representative organisation for education, training and standards in general practice, with 4,500 members and associates comprising over 85% of practicing GPs in the Republic of Ireland and 1,191 GPs in training.
The College’s Research Hub analysed the distribution of GP practices in local electoral areas (LEA) against the latest demographic data for those areas.
It did not examine whether individual patients can successfully register with a practice. Separate research indicates that many GP practices are closed to new patients and working at capacity, with some delays in making appointments.
Map of Current Irish GP practice locations (Irish College of GPs Internal Professional Competence Scheme database), overlaid on population density at Local Electoral Area (LEA) level (Central Statistics Office)
The analysis, by the College’s Research Hub, shows that GP workforce pressures are highest in:
North West – Donegal, North Mayo, Leitrim.
North East Border – Cavan, Monaghan, North Louth
Mid East Commuter Belt – particularly parts of Kildare.
South East – Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford.
North Dublin – Finglas, Coolock.
Mid-West – East Clare and East Limerick.
The rapid rise in population in the Dublin commuter belt has created significant pressures on GP access there – particularly in Kildare, north Louth and parts of Wicklow.
This is due to a lag in the development of primary care centres or GP practices after rapid population expansion, and the time required to recruit GPs and expand existing practices.
By contrast, sparse population in rural regions in the North West and the Border point to potential long-term sustainability challenges for general practice.
Areas of Donegal, North Mayo, Leitrim and parts of Cavan have smaller populations spread over large geographic areas, combined with an ageing GP workforce. This makes recruitment and succession planning difficult.
The third category of concern for GP access is areas of urban deprivation, where there is high demand for GPs due to more complex healthcare needs, especially Finglas and Coolock in north Dublin.
The Medical Director of the Irish College of GPs, Dr Diarmuid Quinlan, said: “This important new research helps us understand the different mechanisms underlying access to GPs around the country. We are very aware of the fact that people are unable to register with a GP when they move to a new area, and we are working closely with the HSE and the Department of Health to expand the number of training places for GPs.”
“We are increasing the number of training places from 350 to 400 in the coming year; and we have expanded training places by 85% since 2017. The College, with the support of the HSE and the Department of Health, has 1191 trainees in supervised training places at present.”
“The rapid population rise in the Dublin commuter belt has put pressure on all infrastructure, not just health services, while we have been aware for some time that there are challenges to providing GP services along parts of the Western seaboard.”
“Our International Medical Graduate programme (IMG), in which over 170 of international GPs have been recruited for rural practices, has already made an enormous contribution to easing the pressures on single-handed rural GPs in particular.”
“We urge the Government to ensure that we have the necessary resources to enable us to train new GPs, to retain those who are working in practices, and to help us plan for the rapid development of GP services in areas of high population and demand.”
ISSUED BY Aileen O’Meara, Communications Consultant, Irish College of GPs.
Tel. 01 2542984 / 087 2239830
Email: media@icgp.ie