Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993

Vol. 435 No. 9

Written Answers. - General Medical Services Scheme.

Frank Crowley

Question:

29 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Health his views on the fact that the Southern Health Board transfers people from one GP to another as the public are supposed to be entitled to a choice of doctor under the GMS scheme; and the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork had her doctor changed against her personal wishes when her medical card was being renewed.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

The provision of general practitioners' services at local level under the general medical services scheme is a matter for individual health boards.

As the Deputy is aware, under the scheme there are agreed procedures which apply in the case of the death of a participating doctor. Specifically, transfers of patients from the list of a vacant practice are not permitted until after the vacant post has been filled. This provision has been agreed with the Irish Medical Organisation and is in place to ensure the effective and proper organisation of general practitioner services. The Southern Health Board in accordance with these procedures froze the vacant panel on the death of the participating doctor pending the permanent filling of the vacant post. As there is now a legal claim by another local doctor in respect of this panel, the board is not in a position, at the present time, to fill the post on a permanent basis which would allow the transfer to take place. As an interim measure the board appointed a fully qualified locum doctor to provide a general practitioner service to the patients in question.

I have been assured by the board that the GMS patients on the panel including the person referred to by the Deputy continue to receive a high quality general practitioner service.