Written answers
Thursday, 11 February 2021
Department of Health
General Practitioner Services
Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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315. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the practice of general practitioner clinics that are accepting new patients but are refusing to take new patients with general practitioner visit cards or medical cards; if the practice is compliant with HSE rules and regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7810/21]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Although GPs will ordinarily accept new patients who hold a medical or GP visit card on to their GMS panel, a GP may choose not to accept such a patient. Where a GP chooses not to except a new patient who holds a medical or GP visit card, the HSE may request, in confidence, the reason for that decision.
Additionally, the GMS GP contract stipulates that the maximum number of medical card or GP visit card patients that a GP can have on his/her panel is 2,000, or 2,200 if the GP also holds an under 6 contract, except in exceptional circumstances where the HSE decides to apply a higher limit.
Where a patient who holds a medical or GP visit card experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept him/her as a patient, the HSE has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list where the person has unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area who hold GMS contracts (or fewer GPs if there are fewer GPs in the area).
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