Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 634: To ask the Minister for Health when proposals allowing medical card holders to use multiple general practitioners to avail of medical services will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5415/12]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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The General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme allows GMS patients (medical card and GP visit card holders) to choose their GP from a list of locally based contracted doctors, or GMS patients may be assigned to a GP contractor's panel in certain circumstances specified in the contract. The purpose of a GMS patient either choosing or being assigned to one GP is to ensure continuity of care.

The GMS contract also provides that a patient who is a "temporary resident" in another area of the State may obtain a service from an available GMS contractor holder in that area in an emergency.

There are approximately 2,600 GPs in active practice, of which almost 2,300 hold a contract with the HSE for the provision of services under the GMS Scheme to medical card and GP visit card patients.The EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support provides for the introduction of legislation to remove restrictions on GPs wishing to treat public patients under the GMS Scheme.The Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill, which has just passed through the Dáil and is due in the Seanad in early February, will eliminate current restrictions on fully qualified and trained GPs wishing to obtain contracts to treat public patients under the GMS contract and will empower the Minister for Health to set entry terms based on public health and public interest considerations.This legislation will result in medical card and GP visit card patients having a greater choice of GPs under the GMS Scheme.It will also help to ensure that private patients of new GP contract holders who qualify for a medical card or GP visit card will not have to change their GP.