Vol. 443 No. 3
62 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Health his views on the proposal by the Irish Family Planning Association that all GMS card holders should have free access to medical consultation and free contraception at family planning centres from their own GMS general practitioner or, if necessary from another GMS doctor.
Family planning services such as the provision of family planning advice and the prescribing of the contraceptive pill are made available to medical card holders under the general medical services scheme. Future policy in relation to the provision of a comprehensive family planning service has been addressed in the health strategy document —Shaping a Healthier Future. The strategy specifies that an accessible and comprehensive family planning service will be developed in each health board area on a phased basis by the end of 1995.
The views of the various interests, including those of the association, will be taken into account in finalising the details of the plans. However, all plans will have regard to the fact that the effective implementation of a comprehensive family planning service requires the involvement of the statutory and non-statutory sectors, in particular general practitioners who will continue to play a central role in the provision of family planning services at their centres of practice. Collaboration between all sectors is fundamental to the effective provision of comprehensive family planning services, and to provide choice of service provider for couples.
