Medical Council welcomes analysis of GP services in Ireland and highlights risks to patient safety

Tuesday, 2nd July 2025: The Medical Council has welcomed the publication of the report “General Practice in Ireland: An Analysis of Supply & Demand”, noting that its insights are essential in shaping a sustainable GP workforce and promoting patient safety into the future.

Published yesterday by Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, T.D., in collaboration with the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES), the paper provides a comprehensive analysis of current and future supply and demand for general practice services in Ireland, highlighting the growing pressures on GP capacity and the need for strategic workforce planning to meet patient needs over the coming decades.

Speaking today, Dr Bernadette Rock, Head of Research, Data and Insights with the Medical Council, said: “This report’s findings align strongly with our own workforce data. From a patient safety perspective, it highlights the urgent need for strategic, sustainable investment in GP training, recruitment, and retention.

“Our data shows that in 2024 there were 20,962 clinically active doctors working in Ireland, with 4,764 doctors self-reporting their role as General Practitioner and working in General Practice. It is essential that these GPs are supported to practise in safe, well-resourced environments where high standards can be maintained in patient treatment and care.

“The paper notes that demand for GP consultations is projected to increase by 23–30% by 2040, driven primarily by population growth and ageing. We know from Medical Council research, to be published later this month, that 31.1% of clinically active GPs in Ireland are over the age of 55, bringing them closer to the typical retirement age.

“Doctors continue to leave the register each year for reasons such as lack of training and development opportunities, poor working conditions and burnout. Qualitative feedback in 2024 points towards onerous work conditions among all doctors, and in some cases, GPs specifically refer to unsustainable administrative and non-core tasks,” Dr Rock concluded.

Dr Maria O’Kane, CEO of the Medical Council, added, “A shortage of GPs is fundamentally a patient safety issue. A local GP is usually the first point of contact for patients, and delays or barriers in accessing primary care can lead to missed diagnoses, delayed treatment, and poorer health outcomes.

“The Medical Council welcomes this report and looks forward to taking a proactive approach and working with all involved to support the growth in the number of GPs working in communities across Ireland.”

Later this month, the Medical Council will publish its 2024 Medical Workforce Intelligence Report, including reports on those joining and leaving the Register.