Ireland is facing a serious shortage of family doctors and nurses, with healthcare staffing failing to keep pace with population growth and rising patient needs, according to the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP).
ICGP Medical Director Dr Diarmuid Quinlan said that while the number of GPs has increased by 10%, the population has grown by 9% over the same period, meaning the pressure on GP services has not eased.
There are currently around 4,650 GPs working in Ireland, up from about 4,200 in 2019. However, based on current demand and future growth, Dr Quinlan estimates that Ireland now needs more than 6,500 GPs.
Nurse shortage in GP services
The shortage is not limited to doctors. There are about 2,200 nurses currently working in GP practices. The ICGP says this figure needs to almost double to around 4,400 nurses to adequately support primary care.
Growing population, growing patients
Ireland’s population has reached 5.2 million and is expected to grow to 5.5 million by 2030. This includes around 300,000 additional people with chronic illnesses, who alone will require an estimated 300 extra GPs, Dr Quinlan said.
Ageing population adds pressure
The demand for GP services is being driven strongly by an ageing population:
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People aged 65 and over rose from 720,000 in 2019 to 830,000 by the end of 2024
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This number is expected to exceed one million by 2030, according to the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health
Ireland also has the longest life expectancy in the EU, increasing long-term care needs.
Chronic illness on the rise
Health complexity increases sharply with age:
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30% of people aged 45–65 have at least two chronic conditions
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Among those aged 65–84, two-thirds live with three or more conditions
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Of those aged 85 and over, 85% have four or more chronic illnesses, including heart disease, lung conditions, bone disorders, dementia and chronic kidney disease
Polypharmacy is also common:
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5% of over-65s take more than 15 medicines
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2% take 10 or more medicines
GP workforce ageing
The GP workforce itself is ageing. There are an estimated 600 GPs aged 65 or over, including 300 aged between 65 and 69, and 300 aged over 70. Many are expected to retire by 2030, further deepening the shortage.
Training efforts underway
Dr Quinlan said the ICGP is working with the HSE and Department of Health to expand GP training. The number of GP trainees has increased from 155 in 2015 to 350 by 2024, reaching the original 2026 target two years early.
However, he noted that 5–10% of trained GPs migrate abroad for personal reasons, meaning training alone will not fully solve the crisis.
The ICGP warns that without urgent action to expand GP and nursing capacity, Ireland’s primary care system will struggle to meet the needs of a larger, older and sicker population.