NAGP GMS contract consultation meeting for general practice is set for this weekend

The forum for the meeting, which will be held in the Hotel Minella, Clonmel, on 7 November, will consist of round-table discussions  to allow delegates to create a list of needs for a more effective GP service.

The meeting will be chaired by NAGP President Dr Conor McGee. Dr Kevin Kelly from Clonmel will address delegates with regard to contract issues affecting general practice.

Approximately 150 delegates are expected to attend the event, which is open to all GPs, not just NAGP members, and a professional facilitator has been employed for the occasion.

“We hope for a frank and forthright discussion where the opinion of GPs can be aired openly and freely,” Mr Goodey told the <strong><em>Medical Independent</em></strong> (<strong><em>MI</em></strong>).

“A submission document will be prepared based on the discussions, which will be presented to all stakeholders, including the Minister, the Department of Health and the HSE.”

Meanwhile, a number of rural GPs were due to meet with the Fine Gael Health Committee this week to discuss the issues facing rural general practice.

Clare GP Dr Liam Glynn, who made a passionate plea at the Rural, Island and Dispensing Doctors of Ireland Annual Conference in Mulranny last month for rural GPs to lobby politicians in the run-up to the general election, told <strong><em>MI</em></strong> that the meeting was organised to highlight key issues facing rural general practice, such as the abolition of distance coding, difficulties surrounding the rural practice allowance and funding cuts in general.

“All rural doctors are in this situation together,” Dr Glynn stated.

“Unless a comprehensive plan of action is put in place, more and more communities are going to struggle to access GP and primary care services.”

Dr Glynn said that the meeting, which he described as a “first step”, has been organised by rural doctors themselves and is not linked with any of the representative organisations.

In all, eight rural GPs from different parts of the country will attend the meeting to put their case forward.

Dr Glynn said he hopes that similar meetings will be organised in the future with the Minister for Health and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children.