AQW 52068/11-16

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 08/12/2015
Answered On Date: 10/02/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what analysis has been carried out by his Department to predict accurately the future requirements for the services of GPs locally.

Answer:

A Workforce Review of General Practitioners has been carried out which suggests a number of recommendations, one of which is increased training numbers of GPs over a four year period. I am pleased to confirm that I have increased the annual GP training programme in Northern Ireland in 2016/17 by making a further 20 training places available fromAugust 2016. However, the number of GPs engaged across HSC is only one of a range of considerations in addressing the pressures on primary care services. For example, it will be important to develop new ways of working to ensure flexibility for the existing GP workforce and to consider the skills mix working in primary care to ensure that GP time is focused optimally on patient care.