Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1578. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure patients will have access to out-of-hours general practitioner services in the north-east region following the announcement of the north-east doctor-on-call of reduced operating hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42284/22]
View answer1579. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health his recent engagements with the north east doctor-on-call in respect of the out-of-hours general practitioner services provided by that body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42285/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1578 and 1579 together.
GPs contracted under the General Medical Services Scheme are required by their contract to make suitable arrangements to enable contact to be made with them, or a locum or deputy, for emergencies outside of normal practice hours. While there is no obligation on GPs to participate in GP out of hours co-operatives as a means of meeting the contractual requirement, most GPs do so as such services facilitate the provision of GP services outside of normal surgery hours and help to spread the burden of this provision.
GP out of hours cooperatives are private organisations. The HSE provides significant funding to co-operatives, including NEDOC Ltd, through service level agreements to support the provision of out of hour GP services. The HSE has confirmed that there has been no change to the funding arrangement for NEDOC Ltd for 2022.
NEDOC GP out of hours cooperative recently informed the HSE of its intention to reconfigure its GP out-of-hours service with effect from August 2022, with no availability of late night in-person GP consultations. Following recent discussions and correspondence between the HSE and the board of NEDOC in relation to its proposal, it has been agreed that any proposed changes that NEDOC Ltd were suggesting have now been put back to January 2023 to facilitate an examination of the NEDOC Ltd operation.
