Vol. 437 No. 4
8 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Health if he intends to establish a national consultative council for general practice which would lay down national guidelines for general practice, including the number of GPs needed to meet future demands and the level of service GPs should provide; if so, when he intends to establish this body; and if it will have a statutory function.
Important structural developments in general practice have taken place this year. General practice units have been established in each health board area and in the Department with the overall aim of improving the organisation and infrastructure of general practice. Such units have recruited general practitioners and rely to a large extent on such expertise in executing their remit. Additional structural changes in general practice must have regard to these developments and to the existing statutory functions of health boards to ensure that there is no duplication or conflict of roles and responsibilities.
As regards the establishment of a national consultative council for general practice, my Department has been in discussion with representatives of the Irish College of General Practitioners and the Irish Medical Organisation for the purposes of obtaining agreement on the terms of reference, functions and composition of such a body. Certain proposals have been presented to the representatives of the medical organisations and following a recent meeting with the college it was agreed that they would further consider these proposals with a view to progressing the matter.
As the discussions with the medical representatives are not yet completed, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage. However, I would like to assure the Deputy that every effort will be made to reach a mutually satisfactory conclusion.
I welcome the progress which has been made. Will the Minister give a timeframe within which his consultations with members of the Irish College of General Practitioners will be completed? Is that likely to happen in the next financial year?
I am anxious to make progress on the matter in 1994. That issue arose in discussions about the agreement between the medical organisations and my predecessor at the end of last year. I hope to come to some conclusion in 1994.
As I am sure the Minister is aware, this was a key demand in the last review of the GMS and that bodies, such as the Irish College of General Practitioners, are committed to the idea of a consultative council. The Minister has indicated that he is involved in discussions with the two bodies councerned, the ICGP and the IMO. I wish to seek clarification. Is the Minister committed to the principle of establishing this body and will its brief cover the issues of planning, the intake of graduates into the system, post-graduate training and the service and premises provided?
I do not want to get involved in a discussion on the negotiations which are ongoing between the medical organisations and my Department. We met representatives of the Irish College of General Practitioners on 16 November and presented them with a set of departmental proposals relating to structure, the details of which will be the subject of ongoing negotiations with the college and the IMO. As soon as agreement is reached on the structure I will be happy to present it to the House.
Is it envisaged that when the consultations have been completed, the national consultative council for general practice which will be set up, will have a statutory function?
That matter is being considered in the negotiations.
