Vol. 482 No. 6
291 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure that doctors with general practices, using a locum for weekend cover for their patients, insist on the locum being resident in the area for the period of cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18723/97]
Under the General Medical Services Scheme, contracted general practitioners are obliged to make suitable arrangements to enable medical card holders, in urgent cases, to contact him-her or a deputy-locum outside normal working hours or at weekends. However, the contract does not require a general practitioner to insist that his-her locum resides in the area for the period of cover. If the Deputy is aware of instances where there is difficulty in securing appropriate cover, perhaps he would communicate with me and I will have the matter investigated with the relevant health board.
I should point out that neither I nor the health boards have any function in relation to arrangements made by general practitioners for treating their private patients.
