Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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810. To ask the Minister for Health if he will rectify the situation whereby those over 70s with a non general medical services scheme general practitioner cannot access a free GP visiting card without changing their GP, particularly as a number of these non-GMS GPs have signed up to the under-sixes scheme, and an arrangement for payment of the visit could be put in place by a refund on claim to the individual person or to the GP. [30755/15]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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1028. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the level of general practitioner and-or medical care available to persons over 70 years of age under the GP visit programme; if only those doctors already with a full general medical services contract will be able to take on patients over 70 years of age with a card; the way this equates with their continuity of care if they have had the same GP for a long number of years; if only those doctors already with a full GMS contract are allowed to take on under sixes and patients over 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31533/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 810 and 1028 together.

A GP visit card, as issued by the Health Service Executive (HSE), confirms that the holder is entitled, free of charge, to a range of Health Services, which include a choice of General Practitioner (GP) from those doctors who have a contract with the HSE and the same range of GP services available to a medical card holder, as set out in the 1989 GMS Capitation Contract.

If an individual's GP does not hold a current GMS contract, they will need to register with another GP who is participating in the GMS Scheme to avail of GP care without fees for persons aged 70 years or over.

While it is preferable that a patient has continuity of care, it is recognised that this is not always possible in cases where a GP is not eligible or does not wish to obtain a GMS or under-6 contract. In such cases where a patient has to change their GP, the introduction in late 2014 of Healthmail, a secure electronic e-mail system, facilitates the transfer of patient records in a secure and safe environment.

The GMS and under-6 schemes do not make provision for the HSE to reimburse non-contract holding doctors when eligible patients receive services from them and there are no plans to introduce such a reimbursement mechanism.

The HSE has made arrangements for under-6 and GMS contract applications to be processed where a doctor has been accepted by the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) onto the alternative route of entry for membership of the College, which in turn would allow such doctors apply to the Medical Council for inclusion on the Specialist Division of the register of medical practitioners established under section 43(2)(b) of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007.