Gay Mitchell
Question:174 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the concerns of a person (details supplied) regarding eligibility for general medical scheme cover. [6498/01]
Written Answers. - General Medical Services Scheme.
In 1999, following lengthy negotiations with the IMO, new one-off arrangements for entry into the GMS scheme by general practitioners were agreed giving entry to the scheme to GPs possessing appropriate qualifications and having necessary experience on the effective date, 1 March 1999, and for five years thereafter. Those one-off provisions sit alongside the established mode of entry through open competition for GMS scheme vacancies created by retirement, death, etc., or recruitment of assistant with a view to partnership.
The net effect of these measures has been a significant rise in the number of GMS scheme doctors now available to medical card holders and that situation is likely to continue over the next few years as an increasing number of doctors acquire the experience necessary to avail of GMS scheme membership through the one-off arrangements referred to above.
In the particular case identified by the Deputy, the doctor concerned has not the necessary experience, as per the agreement concluded with the IMO in 1999, to obtain a limited GMS scheme contract. The period of time specified in the agreement to obtain such a contract was five years and that duration was settled on by both my Department and the IMO in order to ensure that GPs holding GMS scheme contracts had the necessary length of service in general practice to provide the level of care associated with the scheme.
However, in the context of the introduction of automatic eligibility to medical cards for all persons aged 70 years and over the issue raised in the case referred to by the Deputy will be examined.