Bernard Allen
Question:180 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if there will be round-the-clock cover by members of the Irish Medical Organisation in the GP scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Monitoring of GP Scheme.
I presume the Deputy is referring to cover provided by general practitioners under the General Medical Services scheme. Under the existing contract the general practitioner is required to be routinely available for a total of 40 hours per week and to make known these hours of availability by way of a notice in his practice premises.
The General Medical Services contract further provides that "the Medical Practitioner should also make suitable arrangements to enable contact to be made with him or his locum/deputy outside normal hours for urgent cases".
The terms of the GMS contract are currently the subject of major review, under the chairmanship of Professor Tom Murphy. All aspects of the contract will be discussed in the course of this review.