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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 Mar 2002

Vol. 551 No. 2

Written Answers. - Task Force on Medical Staffing.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

286 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on reports in a publication (details supplied) that the future of the task force on medical staffing is under threat after only one meeting of the body, following a major row between the Irish Medical Organisation and a person (details supplied) over the attendance of members of the Irish Medical Organisation secretariat at meetings of the task force working group. [10036/02]

I understand that the work of the national task force on medical staffing is proceeding normally and that each body represented on the task force, including the Irish Medical Organisation, is participating fully in the work.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

287 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will instruct the newly formed task force on medical staffing to deal with the urgent issue of general practitioner manpower planning in addition to hospital staffing. [10037/02]

The document, Primary Care, A New Direction, published as part of the health strategy, Quality and Fairness – A Health System for You, indicates that a needs assessment of the composition and number of primary care teams in each health board area will be carried out within guidelines and frameworks developed by the forthcoming national primary care task force. Following the needs assessment, the task force will produce, in conjunction with the health boards, a primary care human resources plan to develop the capacity of primary care. I have not asked the national task force on medical staffing to deal directly with workforce planning for general practitioners. Its work will, however, have implications for the number of general practitioners required in the coming years. In this context, I understand that it will liaise closely with the national primary care task force. The task force on medical staffing includes a representative of the Irish College of General Practitioners.

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