Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure that general practitioners do not charge medical card top up fees for blood tests. [34919/11]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for Health the position in respect of general medical practitioners who impose a charge on medical card holders in respect of routine blood tests; if such imposition is considered acceptable in the circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34968/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 240 together.

Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, it is the general practitioners (GPs) contracted responsibility to provide proper and necessary treatment to medical card and GP visit card holders. In circumstances where the taking of blood is necessary to either (a) diagnose a patient or (b) monitor a diagnosed condition, the GP may not charge the patient if they are eligible for free GMS services under the Health Act, 1970, as amended. The HSE points out that, in many GP surgeries, it is the practice nurse who takes blood samples. The HSE significantly subsidises the cost of employing practice nurses.

At my request, the HSE has written to all GMS GPs reminding them of their obligations under their contract in this regard. I would encourage patients to follow up with the HSE if they believe they are being wrongly charged for services by their GP and the matter will be fully investigated by the HSE. Formal complaints will be dealt with through the HSE's Consumer Affairs Service. In a number of cases to-date, the GP has reimbursed their patients following receipt of correspondence from the HSE.

I appreciate that because of the nature of the GP/patient relationship, it may be difficult for patients to make such complaints. Where public representatives are made aware of GPs charging GMS patients for blood tests, they may wish to notify the HSE directly.