18/12/2017

Almost £4m To Be Invested In GP Practices In NI

Almost £4 million is to be invested in GP practices in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has confirmed.

A total of £1.7m will be used to address changes in demography and £2.2m to uplift the GP contract by 1%.

The Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health, Richard Pengelly, said: "The Department recognises that primary care and GP services are the bedrock of our health and social care system. This investment of a further £3.9m, follows earlier investment this year of £1.9m for elective care and £3.91m to continue the rollout of nearly 300 Practice Based Pharmacists.

"Given the current difficult financial position, investing nearly £10m more in GP services, the largest additional investment in recent years, reflects the Department's commitment to the continued development of sustainable and accessible primary care services centred on the needs of patients."

Sinn Féin spokesperson for health Pat Sheehan MLA said: "GPs provide vital primary care services to the community and are the bedrock of our health service.

"Investing in GPs is necessary if we are to move towards multidisciplinary primary care teams identified by Michelle O'Neill in her transformation plan Delivering Together.

"It is important GPs are supported to continue to deliver a high standard of care to those in the community who need it."

(CD/LM)

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