As a proud member of a primary care team for 36 years, I greatly value the relationship among the primary care community of GPs, practice nurses, administration teams, OT, gerontology teams, etc. I am wary though of an increase in access at this point in time. The investment recently is most welcome. The additional places for GP training are absolutely most welcome, but if we refer back to Sláintecare and the tenets of that, there is more than just the GP piece. We have already seen a commencement and advancement in the community pharmacy agreement. Health promotion is another area, encouraging wellness and well-being, and a co-creation where we move from "I am sick. You fix me" to "I am not feeling well. Give me the tools to empower me to heal myself". A lot more work can be done in that space. That has to be explored. I worked through previously when the different age cohorts received free access, and witnessed first hand the absolute pressure that was put on GP practices and their front-line staff in trying to juggle. Coming from a commuter area such as County Meath, particularly where four GPs are retiring this year in an area with an approximate population of 28,000, I can see that pressure mounting as it is. It highlights the importance of encouraging wellness, and more investment and participation, in tandem with investment in the general practice area and in the community pharmacy agreement space. I pay tribute to those four GPs: Dr. Ursula Keane of Meadowbank in Ratoath; Dr. Paddy Tierney in Dunshaughlin; Dr. Marina Bruton; and Dr. Tom Feighery. Combined, they have approximately over 100 years, at least, of general practice service to the community of south-east Meath. In light of that, and the shortage that will be in their practices and in the towns of Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin and Ratoath, those other areas I referred to - well-being, health promotion and the community pharmacy agreement - are where we will pick up the slack, although that is probably an inappropriate word to use. That is where front-line care, accessibility, and an open door 54 hours a week, on average, for nine hours a day six days a week, augmented by North East Doctor on Call, is the gateway to primary care. In conjunction with general practice investment going forward, that is where universality will be achieved and delivered.

Sentiment score: 0.27