Carol Nolan questions GP funding and 300,000 children benefit

Carol Nolan addressed the minister about a change she said may benefit up to 300,000 children and raised concerns about GP funding and service capacity. She asked whether an agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation to increase investment in general practice by approximately 40% or 210 million by 2023 has been delivered and whether that figure has been revised.

Main concern

Carol Nolan welcomed the fact that up to 300,000 children may benefit from the change but warned that other cracks in the health service need repairing before additional expectations are placed on GPs.

Questions on contractual reform

She highlighted an agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation concluded last year that was supposed to increase investment in general practice by approximately 40% or 210 million by 2023. Nolan asked how much of that expected increase has been delivered, whether the 210 million remains on track to be made by 2023 and whether the figure has been revised downwards.

Local impact in Leash Offaly

Nolan cited the closure of the out of hours MyDoc service in Bor in her constituency of Leash Offaly, saying the service closed because there were not GPs available to service a growing town with a growing population.

Implications for GP services

She warned that if the promised increases do not materialise, GPs will be expected to deliver a rapidly increasing level of service with a rapidly decreasing level of funding, and asked whether policy risks putting the cart before the horse.