Recruiting more general practice nurses would enable doctors to take on new patients.
That's the view of one GP, who believes the HSE needs to seriously consider their role, if it wants to free-up spaces for patients.
It comes as a new Strategic Review of General Practice has begun, which aims to identify challenges facing the sector.
Dr Brendan O'Shea from the Irish College of General Practioners says nurses are key to addressing capacity issues:
"It would be fantastic if they decided to build capacity in General Practice nursing. We know that a well-trained GP nurses can do 70 or 80% of what a GP can do. It would be quicker, easier and less expensive to properly fund the recruitment of more GP nurses".
