Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 330: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to include the cost of general practitioners for carrying out Warfarin blood tests in the GMS scheme; her views on whether such a scheme would free up much-needed resources in hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1247/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Where blood tests are indicated as a necessary part of recognised treatment of the ongoing medical condition of a patient, they should be provided free of charge to medical card holders.

A review of the contractual arrangements for the provision by general practitioners of primary care services is being conducted at present, under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission. The new contractual framework to be agreed must provide for the provision of high quality, person-centred services and for a greater proportion of people's health care needs to be met in the primary care setting. Among the matters to be explored in the course of this process is the expansion of the range of services provided by general practitioners, potentially to include the management of certain chronic conditions and the development of structured preventative and screening programmes.