Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm the requirements to reform competition and practice in the health sector set out in the Memorandum of Understanding with the programme Troika; the dates on which such requirements are to be complied with. [45961/12]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Memorandum of Understanding agreed with the EU/IMF in December 2010 provided that the Government would introduce legislative changes to remove restrictions to trade and competition in sheltered sectors including eliminating restrictions on the number of GPs qualifying and removing restrictions on GPs wishing to treat public patients as well as restrictions on advertising; ensuring that the elimination of the 50% mark-up paid for medicines under the State's Drugs Payments Scheme is enforced. The Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Act 2012 was enacted in February 2012 and commenced on 12 March 2012. It eliminates restrictions on fully qualified and trained GPs wishing to obtain contracts to treat public patients under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract. By 30 September 2012, 78 GPs had been granted a GMS contract by the Health Service Executive under the provisions of the Act and in excess of 40 applications are currently being processed. Legislation was not required in relation to the other provision of the Memorandum.

In relation to the number of GPs qualifying, the HSE and the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) have reached agreement on an alternative route to specialist registration for doctors who have extensive experience in General Practice, but who lack some component of training to become eligible for specialist registration as a GP. Details of this "practice based assessment model" were published on the ICGP website in September 2011. It is anticipated that the application period for this route to membership will open in early 2013.

In relation to restrictions on advertising, until 2009, the Medical Council's “Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Professionals” placed advertising restrictions on new GPs. They were only allowed to advertise their arrival in an area by way of newspaper notices. Other methods of advertising, including notification of prices, were not allowed. The Medical Council’s current guidelines, published in November 2009, have removed these restrictions. GPs are now free to advertise their services and their prices.

In relation to the pharmacy profession, the 50% mark-up payable under the Drug Payment Scheme was reduced to 20% in 2009 by way of regulations made under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. These regulations are enforced by the HSE. No further action is required under this heading.