A report from the Department of Health warns of a possible shortage of family doctors as current general practitioners (GPs) retire without sufficient replacements. Areas like Cavan and Meath, where the population has aged, face increased pressure on GP services. Single-handed surgeries are identified as the most at risk of not being replaced. The report calls for improved succession planning and incentives for GPs, while anticipating that by 2030, a greater flow of graduates and international recruits could help manage capacity constraints, with an overall goal to stabilize GP services.
The analysis indicates a looming crisis in GP availability, especially in rural and growing urban areas, as current GPs retire without sufficient replacements.
The lack of adequate succession planning jeopardizes the stability of GP services; single-handed practices constitute a significant portion of the risk identified.
Rural areas like Mayo and Limerick are particularly vulnerable, with many single-handed surgeries potentially lacking successors as current GPs retire.
The report stresses the importance of better incentives for GPs and anticipates a manageable flow of new doctors by 2030 to alleviate pressure.
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