Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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136. To ask the Minister for Health if and when he will re-instate the rural practice allowance, the distance code and the prescribing physicians allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44437/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Payments to GPs under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme in respect of the Rural Practice Allowance and Dispensing arrangements to eligible patients under the specified criteria continue to exist. The rates of payment are set out in the Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to General Practitioners) Regulations 2013.

Where a GP currently holds the Rural Practice Allowance but the circumstances underpinning this have changed, the GP retains the allowance while they continue to practise in this location. However, an application for the allowance is considered afresh by the HSE when a new GP commences in the area.

The HSE has recently produced revised Rural Practice Allowance guidelines for remote rural areas. The purpose of the new guidance is to ensure consistency, transparency and fairness in decision-making regarding relevant discretionary provisions of the GMS contract as they apply to rural GP practices.

The guidance also provides for greater flexibility in considering applications from GPs than was provided for in the original governing circular, as well as providing additional options to support GPs. The new guidance does not affect existing holders of the allowance.

With regard to GP dispensing arrangements under the GMS Scheme, such arrangements may cease in certain circumstances, e.g. where a pharmacy opens within three miles of the relevant GP’s main centre of practice.

The HSE, Department of Health and Irish Medical Organisation are currently engaged in a comprehensive review of the GMS and other publicly funded health sector contracts involving GPs. It is envisaged that the issue of supports for General Practice in remote rural areas and dispensing arrangements will be considered under this review process.

Under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 (FEMPI), the “distance from the GP’s surgery” was removed as a factor in calculating certain fees payable to GPs under the GMS Scheme. Any reversal of this measure would have to be considered in the context of the review of fee adjustments introduced under FEMPI for contracted professionals in the health sector, which will be undertaken shortly.