Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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504. To ask the Minister for Health if MRI scans on one hand has been removed from the general medical card scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5149/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The nationwide GP Access to Diagnostics (GPACD) programme, which began accepting referrals in January 2021, facilitates direct referral by General Practitioners to diagnostics services for their patients. This direct referral pathway is open to the full adult population, does not require the patient to hold a medical card, and provides access to a suite of community radiology diagnostics. However, MRI of the hand is not, and has not previously been, included in this initiative.

GPs may refer patients with a medical card to other diagnostic services, and the conditions of eligibility for these has not changed.