Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 April 2019
246. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the new and revised general practitioner contract will recognise and resource general practitioners to meet the regulatory requirements, obligations and the duties of them to meet the general practitioner care needs of nursing home residents. [15542/19]
View answer365. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if the new and revised general practitioner contract will recognise and resource general practitioners to meet regulatory requirements, obligations and the duties to meeting the general practitioner care needs of nursing home residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15503/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 246 and 365 together.
GPs contracted by the HSE under the GMS scheme are obliged to provide services to their medical card and GP visit card patients, including those who are resident in nursing homes. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service. An annual capitation payment of €434.15 is payable in respect of each GMS patient over 70 years of age residing in a private nursing home approved by the HSE for periods in excess of 5 weeks.
There are no plans at present to introduce a new contract specifically for the provision of general practitioner services to nursing homes. However, the Deputy will be aware of the talks which are currently underway with GP representatives in relation to the reform of the current GMS contract. The focus of these talks is on developing a range of modernisation, reform and sustainability measures and the development of a chronic disease management programme for GMS and GP visit card patients.
Agreement on the delivery of service improvements and contractual reform would provide substantial benefits for patients and facilitate a very significant increase in the resourcing of general practice on a multi-annual basis.
