Big changes coming in General Practice

The latest round of IMO talks has brought a suite of changes to General Practice with a total investment of €130 million but what does all of this really mean?

Some of the changes are very welcome. These include an increase in capitation in some age cohorts from August 1st and changes to how the Practice Support Subsidies are calculated. This includes giving due recognition to nurses who have previous experience working in the community or acute hospitals.

There is also a new agreement around contraceptive services with a commitment to extend this free service to women up to age 30 this year. This date has to be agreed upon by Government. There are also new grants available to support the employment of additional Practice Staff. 

However, how will this affect demand on GP Services with more than 78,000 6 and 7-year-olds getting

 access to free GP Care and an additional 430   Patients will become eligible for free GP Care. Will this be short term gain for long term pain.

It has already been acknowledged that there     are significant capacity issues and   that this     new IMO agreement is not going to address       this problem. Neither will it address an outdated GMS contract where GPs are   expected to be available to see their patients   24/7/365. This is where the real problem lies   and surely it is time to bring together a              committee to address these major issues.

 Recently we heard about a rural GP who is       based in the Beara Peninsula and how she       couldn't secure any more than 6 weeks of         maternity leave. This is a big problem across     the entire country even in big cities. 

This also applies to taking annual leave or when a GP may require sick leave. This is not an issue that only money can fix and therefore requires a different approach and mindset.

For now, we can focus on how the recently announced measures can support General Practice and ensure that we are maximising as far as possible to get the most benefit.

The upcoming Practice Management Programme will include full details on all these updates as well as supporting GPs & Practice Managers. This popular Practice Management Course will be delivered online over 6 weeks with an additional bonus week. 

We are delighted once again to be collaborating with LHP Skillnet on this training program.  They offer a significant discount of 30% on the cost of the training course which offers amazing value.  A Full outline of what is covered is available on the link below. Numbers are limited to 12 on this programme so ensure that you book early!  See More Course Details

NB: When you book, select the member rate as you automatically become a member when you book your place.

Asumpta Gallagher is the founder of Best Practice and the Best Practice Academy. With over 20 years of experience in General Practice and working with Practices all over Ireland, she brings a unique perspective to all of her training programs.  She understands the dynamics of working in a patient-centered business and the challenges that are experienced by GPs & Practice Managers.

Practice Management is becoming more and more complex and every day is a school day.  Asumpta can share insights from other Practices on what works and what doesn't always work.  All training courses that are delivered through live webinars are designed to be interactive and allow lots of opportunities for participants to learn both from the content and from each other.