Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004
32 Mr. Morgan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will report on progress since the end of 2003 in the promised extension of general practitioner co-operatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31724/04]
Amharc ar fhreagra91 Mr. McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the out of hours general practitioner co-operatives; her views on the future for same; her plans to extend these co-operatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31770/04]
Amharc ar fhreagra97 Mr. McGinley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the funding that she has allocated to facilitating out of hours co-operative; her plans for these co-ops; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31796/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 91 and 97 together.
One of the most significant developments in providing access to primary care to patients, in recent years, has been the development of out of hours general practitioner led co-operatives. These allow people easy access to appropriate care, outside of normal working hours, in the evenings, at weekends and on bank and public holidays.
The patient, both medical card holders and private patients, access the service by calling a lo-call number. Calls are received at a call centre and are handled by trained call takers. All cases are triaged by either a nurse or doctor. Advice, treatment at a specified location or domiciliary visits are provided for patients where appropriate. The service is available free of charge to medical card holders. Private patients must pay a consultation fee. In cases where a co-operative doctor decides that a domiciliary visit is clinically necessary, specially equipped vehicles, driven by experienced drivers with local knowledge, are provided to take the doctor to the patient's home. Vehicles also have radio communications so that contact can be made with the co-operative base centre. Information about patient attendance and-or treatment by the co-operative is relayed to the patient's own doctor the following day.
Independent evaluations of the out of hours services in the North Eastern Health Board and the South Eastern Health Board found them to be an enhancement of the care available to patients. They also found that the services were held in high regard by both patients and service providers.
Funding for full out of hours co-operatives commenced in 2000. Between 2000 and 2003 a total of €46.5 million was provided. All of these moneys were allocated to health boards on a once off basis. From 2003 funds for out of hours co-operatives have been allocated to health boards as base funding. In 2004 the funding allocated for co-operatives was in excess of €26 million.
All health boards have expanded their out of hours co-operatives and services since 2003. Co-operatives are now found in part of all health board areas, providing coverage in part of all of 25 of the Twenty-six Counties. Decisions in relation to the geographical areas to be covered by co-operatives and any expansions are for each health board to make, having regard to the strategic, financial and other issues involved.
In 2005 it is intended that funding will be provided to allow further expansion of the out of hours co-operatives in line with agreed policy in this area as detailed in the primary care strategy.
