asked the Minister for Health the cost of (a) administration and (b) salaries of dispensary medical services, estimated per head of those who benefit from them, and the cost per person eligible of drugs and medicines under these services.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dispensary Medical Services.
19.
The administration costs of the health services are not accounted for in a manner which would enable separate costs to be ascertained in respect of the administration of the dispensary services.
It is not possible to calculate an average cost based on the numbers of persons who benefit from the dispensary services, as my Department is not supplied with records of the number of individual patients seen by each dispensary doctor in each year.
On the basis of the number of persons covered by General Medical Service cards as at the end of September last, the average cost of salaries per person is calculated at £1 2s. 1d. and the average cost of drugs and medicines at 8/- in respect of the current financial year.