Mary Henry (Independent)

I am anxious that a spouse who may not have been seen for years may be used as a measure of assessment but I will not repeat my previous comments. Section 5(3) provides that "a choice of medical practitioner shall be offered under the general practitioner medical and surgical service made available under this section" wherever it is considered practicable by the Health Service Executive. I hope we do not end up with something akin to the old dispensary scheme because the choice of doctor has made a great difference for medical cardholders and medical practice at primary level. While people cannot be guaranteed a choice, as there may not be even one doctor in an area or so on, we must not return to the situation of a division between those with the medical card and those without it. Senator Glynn and others will agree that the dispensary scheme was not a good one. I do not know which Minister for Health deserves praise for moving Ireland beyond this scheme so that general medical services could be provided by all listed general practitioners to both public and private patients but it improved general practice enormously for patients and doctors alike.