Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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1348. To ask the Minister for Health if he will clarify the rules in relation to children who require after-hours Caredoc or Shannon Doc services but have been told that they cannot be treated or seen without a negative antigen test (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63895/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a contract with the HSE for the provision of health services, such as the GMS scheme for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. GP out-of-hour providers are private organisations.

In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic,  general practice has continued to see patients as necessary, with appropriate infection-control measures in place. No directive has issued from either the Department of Health or the HSE on the requirements for children to provide a negative antigen test to avail of a GP appointment. GPs may test vulnerable patients during consultations where clinically required to diagnose and treat Covid-19 and for the possible prescribing of Covid-19 antiviral medication.