Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has plans to allow general practitioners to refer clients directly for bone density tests rather than requiring such clients to be referred to specialists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7869/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Primary Care Strategy aims to support and promote the health and well-being of the population by developing multi-disciplinary teams of professionals, including general practitioners, which enable the vast majority of people's health and social care needs to be met in their local community. I recognise that in order to support and facilitate this model of care, general practitioners need to have access to appropriate diagnostic services.

The Health Service Executive has, I understand, undertaken a number of measures to enhance access for GPs to diagnostic services for patients. As the Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for Primary Care services, it is the appropriate body to provide more detailed information in this regard. My Department has therefore requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.