Bernard Allen
Question:296 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he proposes to involve general practitioners in anti-coagulation treatment; and the situation regarding the service. [16569/01]
Written Answers. - Anti-coagulation Service.
Anti-coagulation protocols vary between health boards. In some areas general practitioners already provide a warfarin testing service for their patients. This is often aided by the purchase of equipment or the training of support staff by the relevant health board. In other instances blood samples are collected from surgeries and brought for analysis to a hospital laboratory. Again, this is funded by the health board.
Any extension of this service to include all general practitioners will be considered in the context of consultations which will take place with the Irish Medical Organisation and the Irish College of General Practitioners on the role of general practice. These discussions will take place as a result of the review of general practice undertaken by the chief executive officers and in the context of the joint IMO-ICGP vision statement.