Almost half of GPs working 50+ hours per week, survey finds

Almost half of Irish GPs are working more than 50 hours a week, according to a new survey.

The study, carried out by National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP), found that 49% of general practitioners work more than 50 hours, with one in five working for more than 60 hours per week.

Doctors are now calling for greater resources to be provided in the primary healthcare sector.

Around 150 doctors are to discuss the matter when they gather for their annual conference in Limerick later today.

"General Practice is the cornerstone of medicine in this country," said Dr Keith Swanick, a member of the National Executive of the NAGP.

"By cutting resources to general practice, you fundamentally destabilise the fabric of medicine in this country.

"As you know, the doctors, GPs, act as gatekeepers to secondary care. Therefore, the problems in secondary care will never be rectified until primary care is adequately resourced."