An aging workforce, new doctors emigrating and lack of cover are some of the reasons why rural areas struggle to attract GPs.
A report by the Economic and Social Research Institute shows the Cork/Kerry region will need 170 extra GPs by 2040 due to population growth.
Some rural areas are at risk of being left without a GP as doctors retire and cannot find replacements.
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Cork based GP Dr John Sheehan, says there is some positive news in relation to the numbers training in the southern region:
