Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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633. To ask the Minister for Health the number of recorded violent assaults on general practitioners and their staff in the course of their work over the past ten years, either at their practice premises, on home visits or at out-of-hours centres, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54408/18]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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634. To ask the Minister for Health the measures he plans to introduce in the new GMS contract to ensure the protection of general practitioners from violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54409/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 633 and 634 together.

The safety of people who provide health services is of paramount importance. It is a complex issue as those being cared for may not always have the capacity to be responsible for the actions they carry out.

Currently there is no data available on the number of violent assaults on general practitioners and their staff.

As the Deputy will be aware, talks between the State and the IMO the on the development of a package of measures and reforms to modernise the current GMS contract are ongoing. There is a wide range of issues being discussed and I expect that the issue of patients presenting with violent behaviour will be considered in this context.

I look forward to positive and productive engagement with all parties concerned. In line with the long-established approach to such processes, and by agreement of the parties concerned, I am not in position to give further details while engagement between the parties is under way.