Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding medical card patients and non-national doctors (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52794/12]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Act 2012, which was enacted in March 2012, eliminates restrictions on fully qualified and trained GPs wishing to obtain contracts to treat public patients under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract. Under the provisions of this legislation any medical practitioner:

(a) whose name is included in the Specialist Division of the register of medical practitioners established under section 43(2)(b ) of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, and

(b ) who holds a current certificate of registration within the meaning of section 2 of that Act in respect of the medical specialty “General Practice” recognised under section 89(1) of that Act;

is eligible to apply for a GMS contract, irrespective of their nationality.

The GMS Scheme allows medical card patients and GP visit card patients to choose their GP from a choice of locally based doctors who hold a GMS contract.