Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2013
116. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the reason that free primary care for people with long-term illnesses has yet to be introduced in view of the commitment contained in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22621/13]
View answer120. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if legislation is currently being drafted to extend free general practitioner care to any section of the population; and if he will outline the scope of the legislation [22571/13]
View answer122. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the time frame for honouring the Programme for Government commitments with regard to general practitioner care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22617/13]
View answer131. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the introduction of free general practitioner care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22593/13]
View answer655. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will outline precisely the way the commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce free primary health care for persons with long term illnesses will be achieved in view of the current failure to implement such a policy; if, in view of these difficulties, he expects similar obstacles to introducing a universal healthcare system as stated in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22651/13]
View answer680. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he will detail the reasons general practitioner cards have not been provided to those with a long term illness as set out in the Programme for Government; the reason for the ongoing delay in delivering on this commitment; the reason the deadlines set out for deliverance on this issue have continually been broken; the current status of the plans to extend the GP card scheme to those with long term illness; if his attention has been drawn to the hardship being caused to those with a long term illness who are forced to pay for free GP care at present; if free GP care will be extended to all members of the public as stated in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22809/13]
View answer693. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health in view of reports that his Department will drop the granting of general practitioner cards for persons with long term illnesses, the alternative provisions he will introduce to reduce the costs for those with long term illnesses; and when he intends to introduce free primary care to those with long term illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22919/13]
View answer702. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the current position regarding availability of free general practitioner care services; the extent to which costing has been done; the way such issues are likely to affect the budgetary situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23018/13]
View answer703. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the total cost of free general practitioner services has been evaluated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23019/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 116, 120, 122, 131, 655, 680, 693, 702 and 703 together.
The Government is committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service without fees within its first term of office, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Future Health strategy framework. This policy constitutes a fundamental element in the Government’s health reform programme. There has been no change to the Government’s over-arching commitment to this goal. This Government is the first in the history of the State to have committed itself to implementing a universal GP service for the entire population. Having examined the progress made in the universal GP care plan, it became clear that the legal and administrative framework required to provide a robust basis for eligibility for a GP service based on having a particular medical condition is likely to be overly complex and bureaucratic for a short-term arrangement. Relatively complex primary legislation would be required in order to provide a GP service to a person on the basis of their having a particular illness. The assessment system for such an approach would have to be robust, objective and auditable in order to have the confidence of this House as well as the general public. This legislation would have to address how a person could be certified as having such an illness, and who could do this, and how to select the diagnostic basis for medical conditions. As well as primary legislation, there would be a need for secondary legislation to give full effect to this approach for each condition. While it would not be impossible to achieve this, it would take several months more to finalise the primary legislation, followed then by the preparation of statutory instruments. In my view, this would entail putting in place a cumbersome legal and administrative infrastructure to deal with what is only a temporary first phase on the way to universal GP service to the entire population.
The Cabinet Committee on Health has discussed the issues relating to the delay in the initial step of the roll-out of the universal GP service. In doing so, it has considered the importance of weighing the balance between, on the one hand, resolving the legal issues but with a further delay and, on the other hand, with the need to bring forward an important Programme for Government commitment with the minimum of further delay. No decision has been taken by the Cabinet Committee or by Government on changing the first step of the plan to extend GP care without fees to persons with chronic illnesses. Instead, it has been agreed that we should prepare and set out a number of alternative options with regard to the phased implementation of a universal GP service without fees. The Minister, Deputy Reilly, and I expect to report back to the Cabinet Committee in the near future. As part of this work, consideration will be given to the approaches, timing and financial implications of the phased implementation this universal health service. The Government has already made clear its commitment to delivering on the implementation of a GP service for the entire population by providing additional financial resources in the two most recent budgets. The HSE Vote now contains funding of €30 million for this year for an initial phase of the provision of GP services as part of this Programme for Government commitment.
