asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state if disciplinary action, by way of dismissal, suspension or otherwise, has been taken by his Department against any dispensary doctor who has failed to sign the dispensary sheet as confirmation of his attendance at a dispensary; and if so, if he will state on how many occasions and against how many doctors such disciplinary action has been taken.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dispensary Doctors' Duties.
Prior to 1942 medical officers were required to enter in the spaces provided in the medical officer's report book the date of the dispensary day, the time of arrival at the dispensary and the time of departure from the dispensary. Usually when medical officers failed to enter up the report book they were guilty in addition of such other negligence in the discharge of their duties as would justify disciplinary action.
Disciplinary action has been taken against medical officers who were generally negligent in keeping records.
There is no record in my Department of disciplinary action having been taken against a dispensary medical officer solely and specifically for failure to fill in the report book.
Is the Minister of opinion that the completion of the report book by the dispensary officer is a matter of importance and one which he would require dispensary officers to comply with hereafter?
I remind the Deputy that hypothetical questions and questions of opinion are not such as may be asked.
May I ask, as a matter of fact, if the duty of signing the dispensary sheet as confirmation of his attendance at the dispensary is recognised as an important duty of a dispensary doctor?
Will the Minister say what change was brought about in 1942?
In the regulations which came into operation in 1942 the duty in regard to entering attendance at the dispensary was "to record in a book to be kept for the purpose at each dispensary at which he attends the time of his arrival and departure on each of the days appointed for his attendance thereat". There is practically no difference between this regulation and that which was framed by my predecessor, the Minister for Local Government and Public Health, in the year 1924.
Would the Minister be good enough to answer my supplementary question as to whether the document I refer to and its completion by the dispensary doctor is a matter of substance for dispensary medical officers?
Naturally the keeping of records is a matter of importance, but, as I have already informed the House, there is no record in my Department of disciplinary action having been taken against a dispensary medical officer solely and specifically for failure to fill in the report book.
But there would be, if such a case existed?
That again is a hypothetical question. It would depend on circumstances.