Vol. 551 No. 2
272 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on a recent study carried out entitled, Doctor Can I Have Some More, which showed that nearly 7,000 people had cheated the general medical services by receiving multiple prescriptions over the course of one year from up to five different general practitioners with whom they had no professional or working relationship. [10020/02]
Normally medical card holders choose to attend a specific doctor and it is only in the case of emergency or unavailability of the doctor concerned that prescriptions should be issued by an alternative practitioner.
Arrangements for monitoring of medical prescriptions generally, include inspections by inspectors of the Irish Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and information made available to health boards via the General Medical Services (Payments) Board. Where concerns arise in relation to controlled drugs referral may be made to the Medical Council or to my Department depending on the circumstances of the case.
The Acts allow for the setting up of a committee of inquiry where appropriate to investigate any suspected case of irresponsible prescribing of controlled drugs. The Acts also provide for the issuing of a special direction which would prohibit a medical practitioner from prescribing specified controlled drugs where such a practitioner is found to be irresponsibly prescribing.
