Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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443. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that his Department and the HSE give urgent consideration to the concerns outlined by an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the delivery of healthcare; if he will ensure that the necessary financial resources are provided without delay to maintain existing service levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33493/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs contracted under the General Medical Services Scheme are required by their contract to make suitable arrangements to enable contact to be made with them, or a locum or deputy, for emergencies outside of normal practice hours. While there is no obligation on GPs to participate in GP out of hours co-operatives as a means of meeting the contractual requirement, most GPs do so as such services facilitate the provision of GP services outside of normal surgery hours and help to spread the burden of this provision.

The GP out of hours cooperative concerned has informed the HSE of its intention to reconfigure its GP out-of-hours service from August, with no availability of late night in-person GP consultations. The HSE has also been informed of the cooperative's concerns regarding the delivery of healthcare in the area. The HSE have sought an urgent meeting with the cooperative's board to discuss the proposed reduction in services.

GP out of hours cooperatives are private organisations. The HSE provides significant funding to all co-operatives through service level agreements to support the provision of out of hour GP services.