THE DEPARTMENT OF Health has announced plans to increase the number of trainee GPs in Ireland by one third by next year.

The number of GP training places will increase from 258 this year to 350 in 2024.

The Department is planning to increase the total number of trainee GPs to 1,300 by 2024. There are currently 932 trainee GPs.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly consulted with the Irish College of General Practitioners, which runs the four-year training scheme, to explore the feasibility of increasing the number of places.

Donnelly said in a statement: “We must plan for the future. This is a hugely positive step as it offers more training places to doctors who want to specialise as general practitioners and is very good news for patients.”

HSE Chief Executive Bernard Gloster said: “This most welcome development is the single biggest improvement for the future resourcing of one of the most vital components of health services for the people. We will take every opportunity to ensure the growth of general practice across the country.”

Capacity on the Non-EU GP training scheme is also set to increase from 50 to 250 by the end of 2024. The two-year scheme aims to identify, support and integrate a cohort of non-EU GPs into the rural Irish workforce. A number of GPs who have successfully completed the scheme are already working in surgeries around the country.

The Department expects 100 such trainees to start the scheme by the end of this year, and another 250 by the end of 2024.

Donnelly said: “These are highly experienced and skilled GPs from around the world, who take part in a two-year programme combining frontline GP work with mentoring and training at designated practices.

“Expanding the number of GP training places to an all-time high of 350, coupled with the great strides being made in our non-EU programme, will help us to strengthen our primary care services and increase our vital General Practice workforce now and into the future.”

The Chief Executive Officer of the ICGP, Fintan Foy, said: “The workforce and workload crisis in general practice is affecting patients who have to wait longer to see their GP, as well as thousands of patients who are unable to register with a GP practice.

“We need more GPs and this increase in training places is a significant measure to enable more doctors to become GPs here in Ireland.