Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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257. To ask the Minister for Health the approximate cost of a vitamin D blood test through a GP; if he intends to streamline doctor fees charged to patients nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6210/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess". Persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services including GP consultations.

The issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services (blood tests) is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for blood tests required to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or for the treatment of a condition. Clinical determinations as to whether a blood test should be taken for these reasons are made by the GP concerned. In addition, blood tests undertaken in the context of services provided under the GP Chronic Disease Management programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE for this care.

Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes he or she has been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services by his or her GP, or has been charged for a blood test provided under the Chronic Disease Management programme, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of GMS patients, carry out an investigation into each complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.

Fees charged by GPs outside the terms of the GMS contracts are a matter of private contract between the clinicians and their patients. Neither the Minister for Health nor the HSE have any role in relation to such fees.