Sir, –So the chickens have finally come home to roost. The GP manpower crisis has at last been recognised and the proposed solution to manage demand for “free GP care” is to restrict access by charging the patient a nominal attendance fee. Despite all the warnings over the years, we have 141 GPs per 100 000 population in Ireland; the corresponding figures for the UK are 192 per 100, 000 and for Germany 216 per 100,000. Ireland has the second lowest number of GPs per capita in the EU.
Even if the Government decides to increase the number of medical school entrants and GP training posts the dividend may not be evident for up to 11 years, as this is the length of time needed to produce a graduate GP from medical school entry. Meanwhile, GP graduates, along with other medical specialists, continue to leave the country in droves because of State policy on investment in general practice, lack of career progression and poor compensation. The situation is so dire that proposals to extend surgery opening hours and extend the range of services any time soon lack any sense of reality.
Charging patients is not the answer. Credible manpower planning and appropriate resource allocation are needed now to retain the responsive service we have and to build for the future. –Yours, etc,
DR WILLIAM LYNCH,
Enniscorthy Medical Centre,
Court Street,
Enniscorthy,
Co Wexford