Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Jun 2001

Vol. 539 No. 3

Written Answers. - General Medical Services Scheme.

Ivor Callely

Question:

130 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health and Children the remuneration package in place for doctors participating in the general medical scheme; the capitation payment for each patient; and the additional payments for holiday and study leave and for improving practices. [17002/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

The basic payment structure for general practitioners participating in the GMS changed to an annual age and sex based capitation system in 1989. The structure includes a superannuation element. The rates are as per the following table:

Age	0-3 miles			3-5 miles			5-7 miles			7-10 miles			Over 10 miles
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
0-4 yrs	£42.96	£41.90	£45.24	£44.20	£48.60	£47.58	£51.94	£50.92	£56.08	£55.04
5-15yrs	£24.93	£25.21	£25.88	£26.16	£27.26	£27.58	£28.61	£28.92	£30.31	£30.57
16-44yrs	£31.82	£52.04	£33.05	£53.26	£34.86	£55.07	£36.65	£56.56	£38.83	£59.04
45-64yrs	£63.56	£69.84	£66.50	£72.79	£70.85	£77.12	£75.13	£81.43	£80.47	£86.73
65-69yrs	£66.96	£74.70	£75.14	£82.90	£87.30	£95.04	£99.24	£106.99	£114.09	£121.85
70+yrs	£69.14	£77.11	£77.56	£85.57	£90.14	£98.11	£102.46	£110.47	£117.78	£125.80

Supplementary Out of Hours Fee: £2.10

Extra premia are payable to doctors for out of hours services and for domiciliary visits.

Out of Hours Fees

0-3 miles	3-5 miles	5-7 miles	7-10 miles	Over 10 miles	Additional Fee
£26.00	£34.69	£39.06	£43.35	£52.03	£20.30

There is also a range of specific payments for particular services that co-exist with this capitation structure as follows.

SpeciaL items of service

No.	Ref.
[i]	A	Excisions/Cryotherapy/Diathermy of Skin Lesions	£16.26
[ii]	B	Suturing of Cuts and Lacerations	£16.26
[iii]	C	Draining of Hydroceles	£16.26
[iv]	D	Treatment and plugging of Dental and Nasal Haemorrhages	£16.26
[v]	E	Recognised Vein Treatment	£16.26
[vi]	F	ECG Tests and their Interpretation	£16.26
[vii]	G	Instruction in the fitting of a Diaphragm	£16.26
[viii]	H	Removal of Adherent Foreign Bodies from the Conjunctival surface of the eye	£16.26
[ix]	J	Removal of Lodged or impacted foreign bodies from the Ear, Nose and Throat	£16.26
[x]	K	Nebuliser Treatment in the case of Acute Asthmatic Attack	£24.40
[xi]	L	Bladder Catherisation	£24.40
[xii]	M	Attendance at case conferences [where authorised by Health Board]	£40.67
[xiii]	N	Advice and fitting of a Diaphragm	£28.19
[xiv]	P	Counselling and fitting of an IUCD	£45.12
[xv]	R	Pneumococcal Vaccination	£22.38
[xvi]	S	Influenza Vaccination	£22.38
[xvii]	T	Pneumococcal/Influenza Vaccination	£33.58
[xviii]	U	Hepatitis B Vaccination	£80.71

Entitlements and arrangements in respect of pension and holidays are as set out in the GMS contract. Full details of this contract are set out on the website: www.gpit.ie/egms.

The following is a list of contributions to locum expenses:

	Per Day	PerWeek
Annual Leave	£129.33	£905.27	Dependent on panel size
Study Leave	£129.33	£905.27	Panel of 100 upwards
Maternity Leave	£129.33	£905.27	Panel of 500 upwards
Sick Leave
Week 1	£129.33	£646.62	Panel of 700 upwards
Week 2-26 inc	£129.33	£905.27	Panel of 700 upwards
Week 27-52 inc	£64.68	£452.63	Panel of 700 upwards

Practice support allowances in the form of grants for secretarial or practice nurses are also based on the number of GMS patients on a doctor's panel. They range from £18,000 for a practice nurse with one year's experience to £22,000 for a practice nurse with three year's practice nurse experience. In the case of the practice secretary, the allowance varies from £12,000 for a secretary with one year's relevant experience to £14,000 for a person with three year's relevant experience. These rates are not intended to be the basis of the salary paid to the individuals involved. Their salaries are a matter of contract between the doctor, as the employer, and his or her employee and are, therefore, not within my remit. On average, each GMS general practitioner receives a payment of £74,700 from the GMS Payments Board.