Cutbacks could shut 150 GP practices

An organisation representing family doctors has warned that 150 general practices could shut down in the near future due to funding cutbacks by the HSE.

The National Association of General Practitioners has expressed concern about the impact of cuts to the allowances GPs receive for treating medical card holders. The association’s AGM at the weekend heard HSE payments to family doctors under the General Medical Services scheme have been cut by as much as 33% in recent years.

NAGP chief executive Chris Goodey said GPs were facing a very challenging time as a result of dramatic cuts imposed on their practices. Mr Goodey claimed funding received for treating patients with medical cards were used by doctors to pay for the surgery, heat, light, rent equipment, staff and services. “Unless funding to general practice is significantly increased in the short term, 150 general practices across every county in the country face the real risk of imminent closure.”