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Over 1,600 GPs need to be hired before 2028 as concern grows over shortage

There are currently an average of 0.69 GPs per 1,000 population, when it should be between 1.02 and 1.1.

THE OIREACHTAS HEALTH Committee has heard that there is a significant shortage of GPs in Ireland and that over 1,600 more will need to be recruited to meet population needs by 2028.

Both the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) and the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) attended the committee this morning and detailed how there were capacity issues within General Practice.

Speaking to the committee, Dr Val Moran, the head of GP Industrial Relations at the IMO, said that there are currently around 3,500 GPs in Ireland at present and that between 1,260 and 1,660 new GPs would need to be recruited by 2028 to meet both the needs of population growth, and the growing number of people aged over 65.

This figure becomes higher, according to the ICGP, when existing GP requirements are factored in, with the college estimating that over 2,000 will be needed.

Moran added that there is currently an average of 0.69 GPs per 1,000 population where an average of between 1.02 and 1.1 per 1,000 population is needed.

“Ireland has 29% fewer GPs per head than the UK, and existing GPs are seeing increased workload and demand,” said Dr Diarmuid Quinlan, Medical Director of the ICGP.

This is also not uniform, with rural areas having a lower ratio of GPs per 1,000 population.

“Some areas of the country have a much lower ratio of GPs per 1000 population. There’s numerous studies to show that the greater number of GPs per head of population, the better the health outcomes, including lower rates of overall causes of mortality,” said Moran.

Capacity issues within the sector are also being driven by internal demographic shifts, with Moran estimating that one-fifth of GPs are set to retire in the coming years.

“The demographic trends in general practice, no more than the rest of the population, are stark, with a growing proportion of GPs over 60.

“One-fifth of GPs are due to retire over the coming years.”

This figure is estimated to be over 700, according to the ICGP.

Burnout and the inability to take leave or sick leave was also raised by Moran, who said that GPs, particularly in rural areas are unable to access locums to cover them while they are out.

Moran called for the political system to address these capacity issues now, but said that it would not be a quick fix.

“There’s no one single quick fix and the suite of measures that need to be taken and addressing the problem will require significant and ongoing funding. The time to plan and invest was probably 10 years ago, but the next best time is now.”

New GPs

The committee heard that newly trained GPs facing obstacles to establishing practices, due to the high costs associated with it, including funding premises, IT and medical equipment.

“There’s significant financial cost that has to be incurred, and many younger GPs are just not in a position to take on that risk,” said Moran.

The IMO called for additional government supports to be made available to young GPs, including tax reliefs to help buy equipment and fund premises.

They also called for new partnership support funding, that would allow older GPs to take younger GPs in as assistants and then enter into a succession arrangement to take over a practice on a phased basis.

Currently, the ICGP are training 846 trainee GPs as part of a four-year National GP Training Programme.

The college have said that they are currently working with the HSE to increase the amount of training places available on a yearly basis, with 258 spots in 2022. The ICGP have said that they intend to reach 350 spaces by 2026.

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    Mute Luke Sarpish
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:31 PM

    So basically we have to apologise for everything we say.

    271
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    Mute Jbob How
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:35 PM

    Only the stupid shit. I don’t know how that affects you…

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:42 PM

    I lost a close friend a year ago. I would not be able to joke about it now because the pain is so bad. He was right to apologise. Just because someone is famous it does not mean people don’t have the same pain.

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    Mute Lurfic
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:51 PM

    Deborah you should try joking about it. It’s a very good way of helping yourself get through it.

    92
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    Mute Wolves 1966
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:55 PM

    Jon Snow should have to apologise for being Jon Snow. Channel 4 would be a much better place without the likes of him.

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    Mute Luke Sarpish
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    Jan 16th 2016, 6:19 PM

    I’m sorry for your loss Debbie.Ok.

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    Mute Enda Kenny
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    Jan 17th 2016, 4:33 AM

    @ Deborah Behan

    sorry

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    Mute Keith D'Arcy
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:32 PM

    You can’t even joke about the dead now. The PC brigade have finally put a nail in that coffin.

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    Mute Patrick Hurley
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:14 PM

    Remember when that French comic made a joke about that dead Arab fella.

    19
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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:28 PM

    FFF… There’s always room for a bit of humour. The joke wasn’t funny but he’s worse to apologise.

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    Mute Enda Kenny
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:10 PM

    Kevin Costner was gonna play Michael Collins (and direct)

    Alan loved working with Costner on robin hood prince of thieves

    i reckon the ‘dances with wolves’ stars involvement is what attracted Rickman to the project

    he was probably ashamed of himself for being involved in what Neil Jordan eventually made

    same as Gabriel Byrne was ashamed of what Jim Sheridan did with Gerry Conlon

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    Mute Len Brennan
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:37 PM

    Did you for get to take your tablets again Enda?

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    Mute T Beckett is back
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:57 PM

    @Ek

    The Costner interest in Collins is true, but it was Jordan that pitched for that film. He got Rickman involved.

    Costner probably would have been more historically accurate though!

    Don’t know what you’re on about with Gabriel Byrne but I’d take Danny Day over him any day of the week ;)

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    Mute Enda Kenny
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:06 PM

    would an irish actor make a film that glorified

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:24 PM

    True Enda Kenny and guess who’s script they were going to use.

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:26 PM

    I’ll give you one guess… Otherwise I won’t tell you.

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    Mute Enda Kenny
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    Jan 17th 2016, 4:31 AM

    @ T Beckett is back

    imagine the hatred british people must have had for DDL when he made in the name of the father

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    Mute Cosmo Kramer
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    Jan 17th 2016, 5:08 AM

    DDL played Gerry Conlon.. An innocent man framed by the British for murders he didn’t commit.. Why would British people have hatred for him playing that part??

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    Mute Grumpeee Oldman
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:49 PM

    Kinda funny though… Would Mr Rickman have minded?

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    Mute Walter Black
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:56 PM

    Mountain out of a molehill

    56
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    Mute David McShite
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:05 PM

    One of those moments when something seems funny in your head until it escapes and is savaged by the delicate flowers looking to be injured by any perceived slight.

    50
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    Mute Vinnie_the_yute
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:29 PM

    Injured on behalf of a dead person they have no connection with whatsoever.

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    Mute Rasputin
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:54 PM

    I wonder how they’d handle us Irish where in the face of even overwhelming tragedy the first thing out of our mouths is usually a joke…

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    Mute Harry Whitehead
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    Jan 16th 2016, 7:24 PM

    Unless Richard Wilson himself has complained, I fail to see what gives everyone else the right to take offence on his behalf. Still, you’ve got to hand it to these self-appointed guardians of decency – they never waste an opportunity. As usual, they leapt aboard the outrage bus faster than Usain Bolt at the 100 metre finals.

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    Mute @dela
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:37 PM

    Look once he realised himself it didn’t sound right I’m cool with that. If he apologised cos of some tweets I know we’re near Armageddon. Especially tweets from weirdos who live, sh|t, breathe and fester by that medium.

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    Mute Shane Gubbins
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:44 PM

    You know nothing jon snow.

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    Mute Neil Holland
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:31 PM

    What’s it like to be so predictable?

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    Mute Shane Gubbins
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:37 PM

    You must be fun at parties

    16
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    Mute Tom Burke
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:28 PM

    Some people are just waiting to be offended.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:47 PM

    Ordinarily I would agree but the pain of losing someone is so great that this joke in the week they died is simply horrible. Could you joke about your friends death the week they died?

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jan 16th 2016, 7:07 PM

    People need to lighten up a bit .

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    Mute ted hagan
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:28 PM

    Yea lighten up a bit people. It was only someone’s death we’re talking about. Anyone got any jokes?

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:36 PM

    The joke was aimed at Wilson so he wasn’t being disrespectful towards Alan . no harm done .

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    Mute Kieran Roche
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    Jan 16th 2016, 10:00 PM

    I really dont know why I read this tripe

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    Mute Hugh G. Johnson
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:30 PM

    Well as Richard Douchet has already proven, British journalists are masters of putting ones foot in their own mouth.

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    Mute Con O'Donnell
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:28 PM

    I don’t believe it!!

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    Mute Kirsha Sova
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:40 PM

    Not just bad taste ,but also a terrible joke .

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    Mute Grot Master
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    Jan 16th 2016, 4:50 PM

    Generation Wuss, indeed.

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    Mute Evelyn Murphy
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:34 PM

    Absolutely ridiculous. People need to get a grip on themselves. We won’t be able to say anything at all soon for fear of upsetting someone. Alan Rickman would uave probably appreciated the joke for goodness sake.

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    Mute Evelyn Murphy
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:37 PM

    *have*

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    Mute Enda Kenny
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    Jan 17th 2016, 4:39 AM

    @ Evelyn Murphy

    once obama was elected people started sniffing around looking to be offended and when there isn’t anything to be offended by.. t

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    Mute Patrick Fitzgerald
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:12 PM

    There is a big difference from saying something offensive to saying something in bad taste or some thing stupid or something really awkward. He made a tit of himself and apologised. There is no mention in the article or the tweets about masses of people taking offense. If you just read the comms here youd swear the whole world was up in arms about. Calm down lads. He was right to apologise out of respect alone. Red thumb away

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    Mute FlyingDogThing
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    Jan 16th 2016, 11:30 PM

    You know nothing Jon Snow.

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:05 PM

    All these celebrity DJ, tv anchor newsreader types, tv hosts and presenters need all to be put out to pasture. Sick to the back gnashers of the lot of em. Condescending, contemptuous, over bearing over paid egotistical self righteousness and centred maggots. Ya you heard me !!

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Jan 16th 2016, 5:27 PM

    What u expect from a man that knows nothing.

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    Mute James Stratford
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    Jan 17th 2016, 6:02 PM

    Saw the interview, didn’t cross my mind that it was inappropriate at all. Was a very personal and difficult enough conversation to have, I thought Jon Snow did his job admirably and it was a moment that lightly trivialised the sad news, which is exactly the normal human response to dealing with something tragic that we don’t want to believe has happened. I’d say most people upon hearing the news of Rickman’s passing couldn’t believe it. It was perhaps just a subtle side note that ironically the person who was famous for the phrase could sadly believe it all too well.

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