Simon Harris hopes to convince GPs of move to rural areas

Health Minister Simon Harris is set to make a fresh bid to convince GPs to move to isolated rural areas in return for state-paid salaried posts.

Mr Harris has confirmed he is to make the initiative, which could be in place as early as next year, a central plank of upcoming negotiations with doctors when talks on the new GP contract begin in November.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Harris accepted that due to the recession and a growing number of GPs retiring from the profession, isolated rural communities are being left without basic primary care.