Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 February 2017
232. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health whether a general practitioner in Carlow town is available to take on new private patients in view of the fact a person (details supplied) new to the area has been refused by a number of doctors in Carlow town. [7881/17]
View answerPersons who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis. Details of the numbers of private patients attending particular GPs are not collected by the Department of Health or the HSE.
GPs are private contractors and issues relating to the acceptance of private patients or payment of fees outside the terms of the GMS contract are a matter of private contract between the clinician and their patients. While I have no role in relation to such matters, I would expect clinicians to consider the importance of patients having access to a GP service close to home when deciding whether or not to accept private patients.
