Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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510. To ask the Minister for Health the engagement that he has had with representatives of general practitioners regarding work practice changes since Covid-19; the availability of face-to-face appointments specifically for medical card patients. [45602/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, GPs moved to curtail patient in-person contact with GP surgeries to help prevent the spread of the virus and for the protection of patients and staff. While general practice has availed of the use of phone consultations where appropriate, GPs have continued to see patients face-to-face as necessary, albeit with infection-control measures in place.

The HPSC website provides a number of guidance documents to assist general practitioners. including information on infection control and prevention, telephone pre assessments, environmental measures and personal protective equipment.

Determining whether a remote consultation or a face-to-face consultation is appropriate is a matter for the GP concerned in line with their clinical judgement. It is expected that clinical practice should be accessible to all patients, including medical card patients, in line with normal risk assessment procedures.