Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will take this opportunity to wish the Minister every success in his new portfolio, which will be critical in the period ahead.

The legislation under debate is one of the public health measures that will make a real difference to countless families. I welcome this Bill, as it benefits both older and younger people by increasing access to free GP care. It removes what can be a significant barrier to people visiting their GPs, namely, cost. I cannot imagine the distress caused to parents who are unsure about bringing their children to the local doctor due to financial constraints.

The Mayo constituency has approximately 40 GP surgeries serving all parts of the county. They provide an invaluable service to the public and, of most importance, that service is widely trusted by the public.

I note the concerns of the Irish Medical Organisation about the additional pressure that will be placed on GPs as a result of increased access to free GP care. Has the Minister or his Department considered developing and making available to the public greater information resources about the correct services to be used when feeling unwell? I make this point because I am familiar with efforts by the NHS in the UK to increase public awareness of what services to attend if people are feeling unwell. The HSE's website has set up a health A to Z link to the website of the NHS, but I feel that the use of posters and infographics similar to those used by the NHS should be further developed and strengthened. In particular, information on what services are appropriate to attend as a result of specific symptoms should be more prominently available to the public. This would provide useful guidance on whether self-care or attending a pharmacist would be more suitable than visiting a GP or emergency department. I must be frank and say that many of my conversations with front-line healthcare workers relate to patients with minor ailments presenting in acute settings. Sometimes, the opposite happens with more serious ailments. Will the Minister ask the HSE to consider a public information campaign to help alleviate the number of people presenting to inappropriate healthcare settings?

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