Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 627: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will review the arrangement whereby GMS cover for medicines prescribed by a private consultant is only accepted if there is a repeat prescription by the patient's general practitioner. [43769/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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As hospital doctors do not have General Medical Services contracts, prescriptions written by them for medical card holders are not reimbursable under the GMS scheme. Such prescriptions must be transcribed by the patient's GMS-contracted general practitioner to a GMS form. The prescription can then be dispensed by a pharmacy that holds a community pharmacy contract. Under emergency dispensing arrangements, GMS patients can obtain a short term supply of a hospital prescription from a community pharmacy, where it would not be possible or practical to contact their GP within a reasonable period.

This administrative arrangement provides for greater auditability and security within the GMS scheme. It also proves worthwhile because GMS patients have greater contact with their general practitioner after leaving hospital, establishing a valuable link between primary and secondary care services that might otherwise be less frequent.