Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have already outlined what the HSE will do. In other words, if a constituent of the Deputy or of any other Deputy is charged incorrectly for a service that my Department and the HSE believe is covered under the current GMS contract he or she, or another person on his or her behalf, can make a complaint in that regard to the HSE and it will impose a deduction on the GP's practice support subsidy payment and, more importantly from the patient's perspective, will refund the amount he or she has been charged by the GP for routine phlebotomy services. There is no point pretending - there is a long history and record of disagreement on this issue between health service management and GP representative bodies. It is not for me to speak for either of them but I am aware that in their communications to their members they have asserted a different position. The best place to resolve this disagreement and difference of view is around the table through contract negotiations.

I do not accept the Deputy's view that our GPs do not honour their contracts. I believe they work extraordinarily hard in difficult circumstances. GPs need a new contract too. I have already outlined for the Deputy what the HSE will do in the interim for patients. We need to hammer out this issue as part of the contract negotiations.

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