AQW 54529/11-16

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 19/02/2016
Answered On Date: 21/03/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of (i) the number of locum GPs; and (ii) the current demand for locums in Northern Ireland; and (ii) to detail how his Department is addressing the current barriers facing GP practices that require locum Doctors to help manage their workload, yet have been unable to meet this requirement because of a shortage of locums.

Answer:

There are 429 locum GPs registered on the Primary Medical Services Performers List.

GP practices, as independent contractors, are responsible for engaging locums as required. My Department does not therefore hold information on current demand. However I am aware of difficulties being experienced by practices in securing locum cover, and a number of actions have been taken to try to address these challenges. I recently announced an investment of £1.2m per year to create an additional 20 GP training places. This is the largest investment in GP training for more than ten years and will increase the number of GP trainees to 85 per year from August 2016. In addition, as part of an investment package of up to £5.1m agreed for General Medical Services in 2015/16, new schemes have been introduced aimed at encouraging GPs who have left practice in Northern Ireland to return and supporting the existing GP workforce to remain in practice.

As well as growing the GP workforce, steps have also been taken to address the workload pressures on GPs and build the general practice team. For example, in December last year I announced a five year initiative which will see investment of £2.55m in 2016/17, rising to £14m per year in 2020/21, to provide close to 300 pharmacists to work alongside GPs in practices. I have also provided funding of £190,000 in 2015/16 to support GP practices working together as Federations to improve the resilience of GP-led services.

To ensure that people in Northern Ireland can continue to access high quality GP-led care, I have established a working group to consider the actions needed to safeguard the sustainability of GP services into the future. I expect to receive the working group’s report shortly and will give careful consideration to its findings and recommendations.