Claiming Practice Staff Supports
Applications for Practice Support Subsidy and Practice Grant Support are made using PSN1 or PGS1 forms.
How to claim
Download the Application Form – Access the subsidy form (PSN1/PGS1) from the HSE PCRS website.
Complete the Relevant Sections – Fill in the required details for the staff member (nurse or admin).
Attach Supporting Documents
Include a CV & signed contract for verification.
For nurses, also include: NMBI number & proof of practice insurance (usually part of your practice insurance)
Submit to the Local Health Office (LHO) – Send the completed form & documents to your LHO.
Processing & Approval – The LHO will review & forward it to PCRS for final processing.
Payments are made monthly, one month in arrears.
January reconciliation – PSN/1P
Each January, PSN/1P reconciliation forms are issued to GPs by PCRS.
These forms must be completed and returned in order for:
subsidy payments to be reconciled, and
payments to continue.
Failure to return the PSN/1P forms will result in subsidy payments stopping, usually from February onwards, until the forms are received and processed.
Practice staff changes
The LHO must be informed and approval obtained before any change relating to subsidised staff is submitted to PCRS.
This applies to:
changes to hours
changes to role
recruitment of new staff
termination of employment
A completed PSN/1 form, together with:
the revised contract, and
all required supporting documentation
must be submitted to the LHO.
The same process applies when recruiting a new practice nurse, practice administrator, practice manager or GPA.
Termination of employment should be notified to the LHO and PCRS immediately.
Special circumstance – taking over a partner’s panel
Practice Support Subsidy is normally calculated using a rolling 12-month weighted average panel size.
This previously resulted in situations where a GP who, at the HSE’s request, took over the panel of a retiring or resigning partner had to wait up to 12 months to receive the full subsidy based on the combined panel.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement, and subject to prior HSE approval, where a GP takes over the panel of a retiring or resigning partner, the Practice Support Subsidy may be calculated using the combined weighted average of both panels, without waiting for 12 months to elapse.
This applies only to registered partnership arrangements.
Maternity Leave - Practice Staff
Where a member of the practice team funded under Practice Support Subsidy or Practice Grant Support is on maternity leave, GMS GPs who meet the qualification criteria may continue to claim support for that staff member during the maternity leave period.
Claims in respect of maternity leave are made using the PSN1 or PGS1 form, as applicable.
Where Practice Support Subsidy applies
In circumstances where the GP is receiving a Subsidy towards the cost of employing the staff member in question, the GP will be eligible to claim the weekly value of the Claimable Subsidy Amount for the 26 weeks of the maternity leave period, less the value of the Statutory Maternity Benefit payable to the Staff member.
Where the Practice Capacity Grant applies
Where the GP is in receipt of the new Practice Capacity Grant, then he/she will be eligible to claim the equivalent of 26 weeks of the annual grant amount in payment for the staff member on maternity leave, less the value of the Statutory Maternity Benefit payable to the Staff member.
Where salary costs are lower
In circumstances where the cost to the GP of maintaining the salary of the staff member during the maternity leave period is lower than the Net Claimable Subsidy Amount, then the lower amount will be claimable.
Replacement staff
The practice can nominate a replacement staff member and receive an additional subsidy to cover their costs for the duration of the maternity leave.