Vol. 473 No. 6
121 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health if general practitioners are remunerated when a person holding a medical card attends a general practitioner requesting a note for the local authority regarding his or her medical circumstances; and if a general practitioner may charge a £10 fee for such a note. [2225/97]
Limerick East): Under the Health Act, 1970, health boards are required to make available, without charge, a general practitioner medical and surgical service to persons with full eligibility — i.e. medical card holders. In accordance with the provisions of the Act, health boards enter into contracts with general practitioners for the provision of these services under the General Medical Services scheme.
The terms of the GMS doctors' contract are the subject of negotiation and agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation and they specifically exclude payment to a doctor for services relating to the provision of certificates, other than normal sickness certificates and those examinations carried out prior to the issue of first and final social welfare certificates. For example, certificates relating to driving licences, insurance and assurance policies and certain certificates relating to social welfare schemes are not covered under the contract. The provision by a doctor of a note, as referred to in the Deputy's question, would not be comprehended by the payment arrangements for doctors under the GMS contract.
