John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Question 503: To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many persons have continuously expressed concern that in the midst of the current economic crisis, many doctors are still charging excessively for consultation fees, which is having a huge financial impact on families without either medical cards or general practitioner visit cards; his plans to encourage doctors to reduce their over-inflated consultation fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29955/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Consultation fees charged by general practitioners to private patients are a matter of private contract between the clinicians and the patients. While I have no role in relation to such fees, I would expect clinicians to have regard to the overall economic situation in setting their fees.

The Medical Council's Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners states that the fees charged should be appropriate to the service provided and that patients should be informed of the likely costs before the consultation and treatment. The Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011 was published on 30th September 2011. The Bill provides for the elimination of restrictions on GPs wishing to treat public patients under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. This legislation will encourage young GPs to remain in Ireland and to establish their practices here. It will also encourage competition among GPs at a time when many fee paying patients have less money at their disposal.

I would also like to point out that the Programme for Government provides for significant strengthening of primary care services to deliver universal primary care with the removal of cost as a barrier to access for patients. This commitment will be achieved on a phased basis to allow for the recruitment of additional doctors, nurses and other primary care professionals.

Access to primary care without fees will be extended in the first year to claimants of free drugs under the Long-Term Illness Scheme and in the second year to claimants of free drugs under the High-Tech Drugs Scheme. Access to subsidised primary care will be extended to all in the next phase and universal access to care without fees will occur in the final phase. I will oversee the implementation of this programme with the assistance of a project team of officials from my Department and the HSE.