Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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259. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 219 of 23 January 2014, if the figures are now available; if he has given consideration to the suggested adjustment to the medical card review system (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15866/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I am informed that the Health Service Executive is compiling the statistical data requested and I will revert to the Deputy on the matter as soon as it becomes available.

I note the Deputy's comments that "Pharmacists have confirmed that the vast majority of patients do not change pharmacist frequently and that it is rare for someone to change during the normal three monthly prescription period."

As stated in the Minister of Health's correspondence of 21 January 2014, under the General Medical Services Scheme, the nature of the pharmacy’s contract with the HSE is to dispense prescribed items to any person that holds medical card eligibility that presents with a GMS script and the basis of the contract, is open ended and does not operate on the basis of a confined list of medical card holders assigned to specific pharmacists. While I appreciate the Deputy's suggestions that pharmacists be advised of the pending expiry of medical card holders current eligibility, as I have stated previously, it is not practicable, given that it would involve notification to all pharmacies in relation to pending review assessments of all medical card holders.