Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 308: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if, having regard to the fact that many general medical practitioners are now providing warfarin clinics for the convenience of their patients, who would otherwise have to visit a hospital to have their medication levels monitored, it is the policy of her Department or the Health Service Executive to remunerate GPs for this valuable service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41571/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Where blood tests are indicated as necessary as part of recognised treatment of an ongoing medical condition of a patient, they should be provided free of charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. The monitoring and appropriate care of patients receiving anti-coagulation therapy with Warfarin comes within the scope of competence of general practice.

Under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, the Health Service Executive and my Department are at present engaged, with the general practitioner representative body, the Irish Medical Organisation, in a review of the contractual arrangements for the provision by GPs of primary care services. 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 healthcare needs to be met in the primary care setting. The appropriate arrangements in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy will be considered in the course of this review.