Seán Haughey
Question:142. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if he will restore pay to general practitioners following cuts under FEMPI legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15570/19]
View answerWednesday, 3 April 2019
Questions (142)
Written answers
General practitioners are not employees of the HSE and are not paid a salary; they are private contractors providing services under contract on behalf of the HSE.
Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. 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. GPs can also provide services to private patients if they wish. The arrangements and fees charged for such consultations are a matter of private contract between the patient and the GP and I have no role in relation to such private income for GPs.
As a consequence of the severe difficulties arising from the economic and fiscal crisis of recent years, between 2009 and 2013 a number of reductions were applied under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 (FEMPI) to the fees and allowances paid to healthcare professionals, including GPs who provide services under the GMS scheme.
Talks between the State and the IMO on the development of a package of measures and reforms to modernise the current GMS contract resumed in October 2018. There has been intensive engagement in recent weeks which has resulted in good progress being made, however there are a number of issues that remain to be finalised.
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.
In line with the long-established approach to such processes, and by agreement of the parties concerned, I am not in position to give further details while engagement between the parties is under way.