AQW 41267/11-15 Written question to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of the current number of General Practice surgeries.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 26 January 2015
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 26 January 2015
- Answer due by
- 10 February 2015
- Answered
- 10 February 201515 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
There are currently 350 general practices across Northern Ireland serving a population of £1.8m. While the number of GP Practices has decreased by 7 over the last five years this is primarily as a result of GP Practices merging together.
NI currently has the lowest average practice list size across the UK with 5,474 whilst Scotland is 5,566; Wales is 6,759; and England is 7,034.
I can confirm that any patient wishing to register with a general practice within Northern Ireland is able to do so.
The HSCB keeps the overall capacity of general practice under review and develops enhanced services, as necessary, to increase capacity in response to demand. During 2014/15 the HSCB has made available £800k of additional investment for a Northern Ireland Local Enhanced Service for Additional Surgeries. This service will run from 1st November 2014 to 31st March 2015 enabling GP Practices to provide additional surgeries, either in hours or in the evenings, or to put in place initiatives to manage acute demand and home visits for their patients.