Dr. Colin Doherty:

It is the kernel of the negotiations. Once the negotiations are concluded and the new contract comes out it will have a remit for chronic disease. This is the kernel of it. There may be other issues regarding funding but it is about involving GPs. Individual GPs are eager for this and really want to help. We have some pilot data which is fascinating. We know we can manage the patients through contact with our nurses and primary centres. We conducted a pilot with one large practice in the south of Dublin with 4,000 patients. All of the epilepsy patients were put through this programme and we have a checklist for safe care which the GPs and nurses can use. Only 10% required to be referred back to the hospital which means 90% of the patients were managed in primary practice and did not need to go to the specialist centre.