Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 July 2015
218. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of a new scheme reported in the media which is intended to incentivise general practitioners to reduce the cost of prescribed medicines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26592/15]
View answerEarlier this year a Memorandum of Understanding was agreed by the Department of Health, HSE and the Irish Medical Organisation on a process of negotiation on a new GP contract. The provision of safe, rational and cost-effective prescribing, including effective medicines management, is one of the topics included in the outline scope of these negotiations.
The HSE Medicines Management Programme is currently developing a proposal for a quality prescribing incentive scheme for consideration by the HSE and the Department of Health. Any such proposal will be considered in the context of the agreed Memorandum of Understanding with the IMO.
