Vol. 463 No. 3
118 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health the concerns, if any, he has regarding the approach of the Irish Medical Organisation to promoting the indicative drug budgeting scheme; the targeting of certain GMS general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6262/96]
Limerick East): The Indicative Drug Target — IDT — scheme was introduced in January 1993 following agreement between the Department, the health boards and the Irish Medical Organisation arising out of the review of the general medical services scheme the previous year. All parties to the agreement recognised that there was scope for an improvement in prescribing practices leading to better patient care and better use of finite resources.
The IDT scheme forms part of an integrated strategy to rationalise the cost and make more effective use of prescribed drugs and medicines within the State. The scheme encourages doctors to examine their prescribing practices with a view to availing of opportunities to achieve more effective prescribing. To assist in this process, from 1993 onwards, doctors were provided with indicative drug targets each year constructed on the basis of average prescribing costs weighted by age and sex factors. General practioners who make savings against their targets are allowed to use a portion of the amount saved for investment in their own practices while the remaining portion is used by the health boards for investment in general practices in their respective areas.
