Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Apr 2003

Vol. 564 No. 5

Written Answers - General Practitioner Co-operatives.

Paul McGrath

Question:

250 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of health boards that operate GP out of hours service co-operatives; whether additional costs associated with these services are borne by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9966/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

All the health boards and the ERHA have general practitioner out of hours co-operatives operating in their area. In the ERHA area three co-operatives operate for limited hours each evening, at weekends and on public or bank holidays.

Funding for existing co-operatives is being provided in base line budgets to health boards. Applications for additional funds for planned expansion are made to the Department in the normal way by the health boards and the ERHA at the time of the submission of their business plans. In general these are allocated at the time of the Estimates. In recent years I have been happy to secure extra funding to aid expansion of these projects. Their aim is to provide adequate and appropriate out of hours care for medical card and private patients. The services have proven to be efficient, effective and easily accessible. Independent evaluations of the services have shown that the level of patient and service provider satisfaction with the service is high.