Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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273. To ask the Minister for Health if an alternative GP could be found for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9403/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Where a person who holds either card experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept them as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs in the area) can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list.

People who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis in which the Minister has no role, and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private contractors, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients.

Both the ICGP and the HSE websites provide a "find a GP" facility which can assist persons in finding details of GPs in their area.