asked the Minister for Health by how much to date the cost of the choice of doctor scheme has exceeded calculations; and the estimated cost of this service in a full year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Choice of Doctor Scheme.
46.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply to his similar question on 12 th December, 1972. It is now estimated that the cost of this scheme in the present year will exceed the original estimate by some what over £1 million. It is not practicable to be more precise as some expenditure under this service represents merely a transfer of costs from other services, notably the psychiatric outpatient clinics, and not a real increase in costs. Furthermore, as indicated in the earlier reply, some £500,000 of the increase is accounted for by inflation.
The amount provided in next year's estimates for this service is £9.9 million.