Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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908. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some doctors are charging medical card holders for reports such as those needed to apply for a driving licence for persons over 70 years of age; his views on whether the practice is acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19514/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The GMS contract stipulates that fees for medical and GP visit card holders are not paid to GPs in respect of certain medical certificates which may be required, for example, "under the Social Welfare Acts or for the purposes of insurance or assurance policies or for the issue of driving licences".

Any fees charged by GPs for services provided outside the terms of the GMS contract are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patients.

There are no plans at present to include the completion of forms required for driving licence applications as a service to be provided to GMS patients under the GMS or GP Visit Card scheme.