GP shortages: Where are the most acute problems across the country?
Ireland is facing a significant shortage of general practitioners, particularly in rural areas like Donegal, Monaghan, and Roscommon. The article discusses the strain on the healthcare system and the need for better support to ensure equitable access to medical services.
Why it matters
GP shortages directly impact public health outcomes and the sustainability of community-based healthcare systems.
T wo years ago, general practitioner Dr Ciarán Ó Fearraigh bucked a trend among doctors: he moved from a multi-doctor practice to a single-handed one in Co Donegal.
The Ramelton Health Centre was a long-established practice, but the principal doctor was retiring and Ó Fearraigh was conscious that had he not taken over, there was a very real risk of locals being without a GP in the town, located a 20-minute drive from Letterkenny.
“That’s part of the challenge in some of these remote and rural practices where they haven’t been able to find a replacement. In that case the HSE has to find locum cover or the practice closes down and people have to travel further to attend the GP,” he says.
“Making sure that the right supports are there so people want to come and work in these rural practices is really important.
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