The further you get from the M50 the harder it is to recruit new GPs

Today's GPs work more quickly and intensively seeing many more patients per day than in the past, according to one of Meath's many GPs facing retirement in the next few years.

Dr Owen Clarke says that new technology has streamlined the job and means doctors see more patients every day, work more quickly and are far busier than when he first started work as a GP on the 70s.
As Meath faces a crisis in GP service because of a manpower shortage, Dr Clarke says that while the number in GP training has been ramped up but there is still a big problem with manpower for GP practices as there is large numbers of physicians due to retire.
“The number coming through training are not enough and the further you get from the M50, the harder it is to recruit,” he says.
The National Association of GPs which took place in Cork at the weekend heard doctors are now unable to take on extra patients - either public or private - due to workload pressures and State underfunding.
Practices in Meath  are now faced with the dilemma of turning away new patients and Dr Clarke believes one of the major obstacles to recruitment is the outdated 40 year contract, which is still in operation.
“You sign up to a 24-hour service, the contract doesn't provide for job sharing although there can be an informal agreement between doctors,  younger doctors don't want to work in isolation or smaller groups anymore, so it is harder to get doctors to work in rural areas,” he said.
“When I first started work, my recollection is we had two doctors and one receptionist and no IT system. That has now grown to 11 doctors and several nursing and administrative staff and an IT system.The whole set up is different.”
“Most jobs advertised by the Health Boards had applicant numbers in the double digits.  Now most advertisements don't attract any applicants,” he points out.
When he started out as a GP Dr Clarke expected to see a lot of changes in the job.
“We knew we would be expected to provide as much care in the community as possible and to provide a more comprehensive range of services.
“It was slow coming through because of the lack of infrastructure. There was very little delivery in terms of infrastructure and there were many years of frustration with GPs wanting to take on more comprehensive services, but being unable to do so.
“The contract we are on also mitigated against it,” he said.
While the infrastructure side of things has now improved, Dr Clarke says the major obstacle now is the 40 year-old contract and the fact that they cannot recruit  sufficient GPs.
“The main limiting factor now is a shortage of doctors. It is also hard to get practice nurses. Many of the expanded services require practice nurses and specialist training is needed for practice nurses,” he said.
“The contract really needs updating,” he said.