The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
RECRUITING general practitioners in the Mid-West has become more challenging due to the national shortage of family doctors, the Mid-West HSE has warned. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, Mid-West Community Healthcare acknowledged it is facing a recruitment and retention challenge in this speciality. There are currently 216 General Medical Services GMS GPs in the Mid-West. Over the next seven years, 24 GPs (11%) will reach the age of 72, whilst 64 GPs (30%) will reach the age of 65. The growing population, ageing demographics and the extension of GP visit card eligibility on an incremental basis is also placing an increased demand on GPs. There is evidence of a significant undersupply of GPs in Ireland at present, and these issues are likely to persist. By 2025, the predicted shortage of GPs in Ireland will range from 493 to 1,380. More than a third of doctors working as GPs are not on the Medical Council’s Specialist Register of …
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