andMr. Corish asked the Minister for Health the average number of persons per day who have consultations at or receive treatment at dispensaries in the Dublin area; and how many dispensary posts are (a) filled and (b) unfilled in the Dublin Health District.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Health Services.
13.
The full information sought in the first part of the question is not available. However, the daily average number of persons attending dispensaries for general practitioner services, as recorded over a recent six weeks period at 12 of the principal dispensaries in the Dublin Health Authority area, was 29 per district medical officer.
There are 86 posts of district medical officer in the Dublin Health Authority area. A district medical officer has been appointed for each of these posts.
Did the Minister say the information sought in the first part of the question was not available?
No, because the records of the number of persons attending a dispensary in a particular period are not kept by all doctors, particularly in the smaller dispensaries in the less populous areas. Therefore we chose the dispensaries where receptionists are employed in order to get some reasonably accurate figure. I could not say whether we could apply that figure of 29 services per day all over the system.
Could the Minister kindly inform the House how he could estimate the additional cost if he is not in a position to say how many people at present attend dispensaries?
Of course, it was based on knowing the number of attendances at the dispensaries where receptionists are employed. Then we had discussions with the medical profession on the matter. We were also very lucky to have surveys available in both rural and urban parts of Northern Ireland where we were able to get some idea of what a busy doctor would do; and some doctors themselves had figures. The Deputy will be aware that in relation to the choice of doctor scheme, this would be the case where doctors would have their private patients to add to the patients under the choice of doctor scheme.
Am I to understand from the Minister's reply that there are doctors attending people in dispensaries who keep absolutely no record of their medical history?
I am not saying they do not keep records but they do not keep records in a form that would enable me to see how many attendances they have per day. That is a fact.
Question No. 14.
I do not want to delay the House but is the Minister saying that a person will attend a dispensary and no record is kept?
The Deputy has already asked that question.
It may not be important to the Chair but it is very important to the person attending the dispensary.
It must be. The Deputy has asked it twice.