Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress that has been made in providing direct access to diagnostics for general practitioners; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41867/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Quality and Clinical Care Directorate of the Health Service Executive has established a number of disease specific programmes. These include Asthma, COPD, Heart Failure, Stroke and Diabetes. The approach to these chronic diseases will be to improve quality and access in a cost effective manner. Improving access will involve mandating Primary Care direct access to diagnostics rather than patients having to attend hospital out patient facilities. The diagnostics that are being targeted initially are spirometry (breath tests for diagnosis and management of COPD and Asthma), Ultrasound and Radiology. It is envisaged that most routine treatment of these chronic diseases will take place in Primary Care and the provision of diagnostics is seen as an essential part of this shift in care.