Vol. 178 No. 8
asked the Minister for Health if he will state what salary scale at present applies to dispensary doctors, and the date on which such scale was determined; and whether he is now prepared to increase the remuneration of all such doctors as a result of the increased living costs since such remuneration was last adjusted.
4.
asked the Minister for Health if he will state the salary scales of dispensary doctors prior to the enactment of the Health Act, 1953, and in the current year; the date on which the new scales came into operation, and by whom they were negotiated in the first instance; the average amount received in the most recent year for which the information is available from Dublin health authorities by dispensary doctors and general practitioners in Dublin city and county by way of fees in respect of maternity cases, distinguishing between dispensary doctors and other practitioners; and in respect of each category the amounts paid to each of those three practitioners to whom the highest payments were made.
With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take questions numbers 3 and 4 together.
Prior to 29th October, 1953, the date of enactment of the Health Act, 1953, the standard salary scale of permanent dispensary doctors was £528 a year, increasing by annual increments of £19.10.0. to £723 a year, including cost of living bonus then payable.
In September, 1954 a revised scale was adopted by local authorities following upon discussions between the Irish Medical Association, the City and County Managers and my Department. This revised scale was made effective with retrospective effect from 1st April, 1953. The new scale £623 rising by annual increments of £38 to £813 was £95 higher at the minimum and £90 higher at the maximum than the old scale. With the addition of cost-of-living bonus granted later, the present scale is £674, increasing by annual increments of £40.9.5. to £876 a year.
Co-incident with the increase in the scale for dispensary medical officers, they became eligible for fees for maternity care of dispensary patients to whom they had previously to give such services in consideration of their normal salaries.
The question of the payment of any further increase in cost-of-living bonus to dispensary doctors is a matter for the local authorities in the first instance. I have received no proposals for the payment of such bonus from these local authorities.
The information requested in the second part of Deputy Brady's question is as follows; it is in respect of the year ended 31st March, 1959:—
The average amounts of maternity fees received by dispensary doctors and other general practitioners in Dublin City and County from Dublin Health Authorities were £182 and £306 respectively.
The highest amounts paid were
|
Dispensary Doctors |
Private Practitioners |
|
£ |
£ |
|
486 |
1,439 (partnership) |
|
450 |
1,351 |
|
413 |
1,309 |
