GP practices miss out on social deprivation grant

Some GP practices are no longer receiving the social deprivation grant following changes in how it is allocated, the Medical Independent (MI) has learned.

However, it is understood other practices have received greater support.

The development follows an agreement between the HSE, Department of Health, and the IMO in late 2025 to provide more targeted social deprivation grant support to GPs.

The grant was introduced under the 2019 GP agreement to support GPs in socially deprived urban areas to enable greater clinical supports and services. It was agreed that a special deprivation index would be applied to grant allocations.

However, following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is understood the grants were allocated to GPs on the basis of the applications received.

As per the original agreement, Pobal’s HP Deprivation Index is now being applied to practices this year.

Dr Tadhg Crowley, Chair of the IMO GP committee, told MI this change had resulted in disappointment for some practices as they had not received the grant this year.

“Some practices got more money, but others got none,” Dr Crowley said.

“In the future the IMO would like to see more resourcing going to areas of deprivation.” 

In a recent parliamentary question to the Minister for Health, Social Democrats Deputy Pádraig Rice queried the use of Pobal data in allocating the grant.

In response, Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said a look-back exercise would take place this year to evaluate the new process.

“Following extensive engagement between relevant stakeholders, it has been agreed that the distribution of the grant will be concentrated so that eligible GMS GPs will receive significantly increased amounts, allowing for more meaningful support for the practices concerned. This change applies for allocations awarded for 2025 onwards,” the Minister stated.

She added: “It was agreed, as always intended, that the grant allocation process would use a data analysis approach, based on geocoding of GP practices and using a recognised deprivation index, in this case Pobal’s HP Deprivation Index which is widely recognised and used.”

The HSE, Department, and IMO would conduct a look-back exercise of the new process before the end of 2026 to ensure it has been effective, she outlined.