Parts of County Leitrim could be left without a GP in the future, new report say

Parts of Leitrim could be left without a GP, it was reported this week and it is among a number of areas that could be affected due to a growing and ageing population.

The report called ‘General Practice in Ireland: An Analysis of Supply & Demand’ to improve the evidence base for the Strategic Review of General Practice and was produced by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) at the Department of Health.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Paddy Farrell stated: "We're not too bad in this particular area as we have Drumshanbo and Carrick but I know for new people trying to get on the list with any of those doctors, there is nothing available at the minute. That's a big problem. If any of these doctors retire, there will be a problem if there's no one there to replace them."

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He said that emigration has played it's part in creating the situation, in his view. "A lot of the younger doctors have emigrated. One big problem when they come out of college and do their training, they leave and I suppose you can't blame them; there should be more of an incentive to keep them here." 

He continued: "It's not easy on a young doctor to set up their own practice either with all the costs involved. You have to get a premises and it all comes with lots of costs and many young people not be prepared to put all that money on the line either and their livelihood. There are a lot of issues there that need to be ironed out. I think it's worse in some parts of the country than others. 

Speaking to the Observer, Cllr Brendan Barry said that those returning home are finding it difficult to get a GP. "It definitely is a problem because we have people who moved back to the area and used to have a doctor here and now can't get into a doctor's here because they are not accepting new patients even though they may have been a patient years before that. I think this is due to there being more people in the area and also people tend to the visit the GP more than they did in the past when they may have been more reluctant to go to the doctor."

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However, there was some good news with almost 4,000 graduates and international recruits are expected to enter the system by 2030.

Cllr Barry said that more GPs would "counter the issue that people are going on to A&Es. It would be better for the whole thing in general."