Dr. Edel McGinnity:

Yes, there is always that; it is true. Communication was mentioned, and on the positive side, GPs, as everybody knows, are outside the system and off doing their own thing a lot of the time. That has led us to have communications problems within the HSE structures in particular, but Healthmail is a new ICGP promoted e-mail system where we can e-mail about our patients. Previously it was difficult for GPs to do that. That system has completely transformed my working life because I can now e-mail all my primary care colleagues and all the Tusla social work system. Those calls that I was getting in the middle of patient consultations are much reduced because I can now work with this e-mail system. As Deputy Harty has said, we are well ahead with the IT. It fascinates me that some of the hospitals spend a fortune with all of these validation letters saying that a patient did not turn up for an appointment. It is not just validation letters. Our local hospital now sends us a letter to say that someone is on a waiting list. I want to know when their appointment is so I can phone them about their appointment. However, I cannot find that out because the hospital will not deal with me by e-mail, but we are working on it.