Pressure on Ireland's healthcare as most GPs refuse new patients

DUBLIN, Ireland: A significant majority of GPs in Ireland are no longer accepting new patients, reflecting mounting pressures on the country's healthcare system.

A survey conducted by the Irish Independent revealed that 79 out of 130 registered GPs have closed their waiting lists entirely, citing capacity limits or months-long queues. This development coincides with a rise in winter illnesses and respiratory infections, further straining the system.

The medical director of the Irish College of GPs, Dr. Diarmuid Quinlan, highlighted several factors that contributed to the issue.

"Ireland now has more than 5.1 million people, which is our largest population since the famine," he explained in an interview with Newstalk.

Dr. Quinlan also pointed to the country's aging population, noting, "The number of older people over 65 has gone up from over 800,000 in the last four years."

He added that while the expansion of the medical card scheme is a welcome development, it has inadvertently increased the workload for GPs.

Amid these challenges, many GPs are reaching their operational limits, raising concerns about accessibility to primary care for new patients.