Vol. 510 No. 5
19 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give an assurance that all general medical service patients at risk can avail of the flu vaccine free of charge from their general practitioner in view of the recent dispute between his Department and GPs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22844/99]
33 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the arrangements made with general practitioners for the administration of anti-flu vaccination; and the reason appropriate arrangements were not put in place by 1 October 1999 when vaccinations were to commence. [21053/99]
152 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the arrangements made with general practitioners for the administration of anti-flu vaccination; and the reason appropriate arrangements were not put in place by 1 October 1999 when vaccinations were to commence. [23028/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 33 and 152 together.
Discussions have been held between the Health Service Employers' Agency and the Irish Medical Organisation as to the arrangements which should apply to the provision of the influenza vaccine to general medical service patients. However, there remains disagreement between the parties on this issue. At a meeting on 7 October the Health Service Employers' Agency, recognising that there are issues between the parties regarding administration of the influenza vaccine, and in order to resolve this dispute without delay, proposed that the issues be referred to an independent third party for adjudication. This offer was declined by the Irish Medical Organisation.
I welcome the statement by the IMO that, notwithstanding the dispute regarding administration of the influenza vaccine, it has advised its members to provide the vaccine to the at-risk groups in the GMS free of charge.
I remain hopeful that it will be possible to reach agreement on this issue and I would hope that the Irish Medical Organisation would reconsider the offer made by the Health Service Employers' Agency of referral of the issues in dispute to an independent third party.
