Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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648. To ask the Minister for Health if he will investigate and advise on reports that the Primary Care Reimbursement Service is not paying rural general practitioners for the service they provide on Saturday mornings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49857/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders on behalf of the Health Service Executive. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service.

Under the GMS contract, GPs are required to be available for consultation by eligible persons at his/her approved surgery or surgeries and for domiciliary visiting for a total of 40 hours each week on five days or more in the week, by agreement with the Health Service Executive.

As the payment of GPs under the GMS contract is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.