The Irish Medical Organisation [IMO] has welcomed the publication of the Report on Primary Medical Care by the Joint Committee on Health and Children. Primary Care Centres are purpose-built health centres in which GPs and other health professionals work alongside each other in multi-disciplinary teams to improve services for patients and reduce demand for hospital visits.

In particular the IMO has welcomed the following:

• The strong opposition of the Committee to the threatened Corporatisation of Primary Care [ie: primary care centres being owned by large companies employing GPs and others as staff].
• Recognition by the Committee of the need to introduce financial incentives to facilitate the investment required by GPs and others to establish primary care centres.
• Support from the Committee for the availability of diagnostic facilities on-site in primary care centres.
• Recognition by the Committee of the increasing manpower challenge facing the GP profession and its call for an increase in available number of GP training places to a minimum of 150.
• Support by the Committee for the principle of Universal Access to All.

Dr. Martin Daly, IMO GP Committee member said; “Enormous work was required if the goal of a nationwide network of primary care centres was to be realised. Primary care centres are not a panacea but can play a significant role in the modernisation and improvement of our health services. This report however acknowledges the scale of the challenge facing policy makers if they wish to see progress in this area.”

Further Information contact:
Maria Murphy
Director of Communications &
Public Affairs
Irish Medical Organisation
Tel. 01 6767 273
Mobile 086 2514 057