Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under the Medical Practitioners Act 1978, the Medical Council is the statutory body charged with primary responsibility for the registration and regulation of medical practitioners. Doctors wishing to practice medicine in Ireland, including those wishing to establish themselves in general practice, should be registered with the Medical Council.

UK and other EU trained doctors with the appropriate qualifications enjoy the same rights as Irish trained doctors, providing they meet the requirements of Directive 93/16/EEC, to facilitate the free movement of doctors and the mutual recognition of their diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications.

A significant review of the Medical Practitioners Act has been undertaken by my Department and a new Medical Practitioners Bill is being drafted at present. As part of the changes proposed, a scheme of competence assurance, to be administered by the Medical Council, will be enshrined in legislation. The aim of the scheme is to ensure that doctors in independent practice, including general practitioners, will maintain their knowledge, skills and competence throughout their working lives.

General practitioner services are provided to eligible public patients under the general medical services, GMS, scheme on the basis of a contract agreed with the GP representative body, the Irish Medical Organisation, and the Department of Health and Children. The GMS GP contract includes provisions for the filling of vacant positions or for creating new posts. Under the terms of the contract, the final decision in respect of new or vacant posts rests with the chief officer of the relevant Health Service Executive areas on foot of a consultative process. The GMS GP contract also provides for the recruitment of partners and assistants, with a view to partnership. All appointments in respect of vacancies, new posts, partners and assistants, with a view to partnership, are made by open competition following advertisement and competitive interview. The HSE will be requested to forward information directly to the Deputy in respect of the number of new positions approved by chief officers in each of the past five years.

It should also be noted that, with the introduction of enhanced medical card eligibility in 1999 and full medical card eligibility in 2001, for persons aged 70 and over, one-off entry arrangements were agreed between the IMO and the Department of Health and Children to allow GPs treating such patients to qualify to provide services under the GMS scheme.