Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 January 2016
343. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Health if it is appropriate for a general practitioner to put additional charges in the region of €20 upwards on a medical card holder for the purpose of taking blood samples; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2942/16]
View answerPersons covered by the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme should not be charged for routine phlebotomy services provided by their GP, or the Practice Nurse on behalf of the GP, which are required to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition.
Consultation fees charged by GPs outside the terms of the GMS contract are a matter of private contract between the clinicians and the patients. While I have no role in relation to such fees, I would expect clinicians to have regard to the overall economic situation in setting their fees.
The Department of Health and the HSE are cognisant of the need for a new contract with GPs that will help modernise our health service and develop a strengthened primary care sector and negotiations are underway with the IMO in this regard. The development of appropriate contractual arrangements in relation to the management of chronic conditions and issues such as phlebotomy services are amongst the significant issues to be considered during the contractual talks.
