asked the Minister for Health if he will make it clear to dispensary medical officers that holders of general medical register cards, who are unable to make a personal attendance, are entitled to secure the service of a doctor by telephoning him.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Services.
The Health (Duties of District Medical Officers) Order, 1954, directs that it shall be a duty of a district medical officer to afford adequate medical care and advice at a dispensary or elsewhere as the case may require to any person resident in the dispensary district whose name is entered in the General Medical Services Register and to the dependents of such person.
The onus of satisfying the doctor that an applicant for his services is on the Register rests on the applicant. Normally the doctor is so satisfied by the production to him of the medical services card issued by the health authority; but in cases represented as urgent, district medical officers normally attend on receipt of a telephone request. The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be reasonable to require a doctor to attend in every case where the request is made by telephone, as it would expose him to the undue risk of wasting time and effort in dealing with non-urgent or bogus calls or in visiting ineligible persons.