HSE endeavours to attract GPs to work in rural practices

A series of measures aimed at attracting doctors to work in rural general practice are to be announced shortly by the HSE. The move comes amid continuing difficulties recruiting GPs to take up vacant positions in 19 unfilled practices nationwide.

The HSE plans to introduce new criteria for awarding the rural practice allowance to GPs in an attempt to help fill some of the available positions. The allowance is a specific payment awarded to GPs with medical card patients who practice in a village with a population of less than 500 and who are more than three miles away from a town with a population of 1,500 or more. It is worth €16,000 annually.

Under new plans, the allowance will be expanded so that GPs within a three to seven mile radius from a town will be able to access half the allowance, it is understood. Up until now strict application of the allowance by the HSE has meant many GPs in rural areas were unable to access the allowance. For over a year GPs have complained that the allowance, seen as a vital and crucial financial resource, is effectively being wiped out by the HSE.