2,360 GMS GPs have now signed up to agreement

At the begging of November, a total of 2,360 GMS GPs had signed up to the first part of the GP agreement reached between the IMO and the Government earlier this year.

According to new figures, provided to the Medical Independent (MI) by the HSE, this number constitutes 94 per cent of the GMS GPs. A HSE spokesperson added that that this figure may increase in the coming months.

“As of 1 November 2019, a total of 2,360 (94 per cent) GMS GPs have signed up to the GP agreement,” a HSE spokesperson told MI.

“This may increase somewhat as there is no deadline date for which a GP may sign up to the agreement.”

The IMO agreement with the Government has been described by IMO President and Longford GP Dr Padraig McGarry as a “three-legged agreement, where each individual member can take or not take part”.

The first part of the agreement related to productivity measures in relation to FEMPI reversal.

GPs will be sent information about the second part of the deal regarding chronic disease later this year.

Speaking to MI in October Dr McGarry raised some concerns that the IT system might not be in place for the roll-out of the chronic disease aspect of the deal.

MI has asked the HSE whether the IT infrastructure is in place for this part of the deal. The Executive did not reply to this specific query, but indicated that the chronic disease manegment programme (CDM) will move ahead as planned.

“The HSE is working with the IMO and ICGP to encourage GPs to sign up to provide the new chronic disease management  programme,” the HSE spokesperson told MI.

“This programme will deliver care for adults [This programme is available for people through the GMS and GP visit card scheme] with one or more of the listed chronic diseases, over a four-year period, commencing in January 2020.”

“GPs will choose to participate in the programme and it is anticipated that GPs will sign up for the new CDM programme later this year and during 2020.”