Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 February 2005
230 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the procedure involved in the appointment of general practitioners co-ordinators for methadone treatment and other drug addiction services; the person who created the position; the job specifications for the position; the person who monitors them; the persons to whom they are answerable; the working hours; and the wage involved. [4851/05]
View answer231 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if general practitioner co-ordinators can do other private or public work while working as coordinators; and if such a person is on sick or other leave from one position, if they can work for another body. [4852/05]
View answer232 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that it is intended to review the titles and work practices of the general practitioners co-ordinators similar to that for other newly created posts. [4853/05]
View answer233 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the qualifications required for the position of general practitioners co-ordinators; the additional training which has been supplied to appointed general practitioners co-ordinators since their appointment; if there was an interview of potential candidates for the positions; if they were advertised internally within the health sector and externally among the general public; and if there were an internal appointment within health boards. [4854/05]
View answer234 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the actions of the general practitioners co-ordinators since having been appointed. [4855/05]
View answer235 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the job specification of the national general practitioner co-ordinator for methadone treatment and other drug addiction services; the number of general practitioners co-ordinators who are presently appointed; if more are envisaged; the person who audits them; and the person to whom they are responsible. [4856/05]
View answer236 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that general practitioner coordinators suspended two of the 25 general practitioners involved in the drug scheme and that both have subsequently been vindicated and reinstated; and her views on the matter and on the procedures involved in the suspensions. [4857/05]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 230 to 236, inclusive, together.
The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the delivery of drug treatment services. I have no comment to make in relation to matters arising from grievance procedures and sick leave protocols which are clearly a matter for individuals and their employers.
I have been advised by the chief executive of the HSE that general practitioner co-ordinators were appointed in 1997 by the then Eastern Health Board on the basis of their experience in the treatment of drug misuse at the time. The purpose of the posts is to oversee drug treatment services and specifically the development of methadone services.
I am advised by the HSE that there are currently five GP co-ordinators in post, all of whom are approved, accredited and audited general practitioners with expertise in the treatment of opiate users. They report to the assistant chief officer with responsibility for addiction in each of the HSE areas in the east. Continuing medical training is a necessary requirement for the co-ordinators to maintain their accreditation. The co-ordinators are employed on a sessional basis and are not precluded from engaging in other work. I understand from the HSE that the co-ordinators are paid on a sessional basis which currently equates to €65.37 per hour.
I am advised that the national GP co-ordinator was also appointed by the then Eastern Health Board with the agreement of the Department of Health and Children to provide additional clinical support and advice to areas outside the then eastern region. I am not aware of any specific plan to review the titles and work practices of GP co-ordinators in the drug misuse field, although the operation of the methadone protocol is reviewed by an implementation committee on an ongoing basis and the roles and functions of different service providers are routinely considered in that context. At the end of December 2004, there were 316 GPs involved in the methadone protocol.
