Family doctors have attacked the Government’s “morally corrupt” policies on general practice which is leading to a “silent flight” of young medics to work in other countries.

The National Association of GPs annual conference has also heard claims that patients are being sent back to their GP from hospital emergency departments when they should be admitted.

Association chairman Andy Jordan called on the Government to “stop the madness” in its policies and care for people in the community rather than being so reliant on hospital care.

It was “unfair and unjust” to take from the sickest and the poorest in society, he said, especially when it was done by the back door.

Political expediency and poorly thought-out policies were replacing a proper approach to the management of chronic disease.

Money was running away from the patients rather than following the patient, he said. General practice was dying and doctors needed to stand up for patients.

Mr Jordan described the Government’s policies on general practice as “morally corrupt”.

General practice accounted for 2.7 per cent of the health budget compared to an average of 9 per cent in other European countries, he said.

Association president Conor McGee said the next protest by doctors would take the form of a silent flight by young GPs to other countries offering better work conditions, better work-life balance and better pay.

Dr McGee told the conference in Limerick that a failure by emergency departments to admit patients was increasing pressure on GPs and was unfair to patients.

The National Association of GPs has claimed that patients who should be admitted through hospital emergency departments are being sent back to their family doctor.