Phil Hogan
Question:154 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Health if any doctors in the Permanent Defence Force have taken up appointments in the general medical services scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Defence Forces Appointments.
General practitioners are granted entry to the GMS scheme on the basis of one of the following: (1) Open competition for vacancies that arise; (2) Open competition for posts of assistant with a view to partnership; (3) Doctors who have established themselves in wholetime general practice prior to 1 January 1989 are granted right-of-entry on completion of five years continuous practice in the one location.
Doctors applying for positions under (1) or (2) above must have the following experience:
(a) Six months experience in full-time general practice. The six months need not be continuous but must be in full-time general practice. Experience gained in short term locums, in a locum bureau or in employment otherwise than as a full-time general practitioner is not reckonable towards the aggregate of the six months.
(b) Periods of six months hospital experience in each of any three of the following specialties, or three months in the case of participants in a recognised vocational training scheme, accident and emergency medicine or general surgery, general medicine, geriatric medicine, obstetrics and/or gynaecology, paediatrics and psychiatry. All entrants should have at least six months in either general medicine or paediatrics.
All doctors, including doctors who have served in the Permanent Defence Forces, are entitled to apply for entry to the scheme if they meet the requirements. I understand that a number of doctors who have served in the Permanent Defence Forces and who have satisfied the relevant health board that they have met the entry requirements have obtained GMS contracts.