Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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782. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider the use of private out-of-hours services or private 24-hour access doctors to alleviate the long delays in medical card patients accessing appointments with their GP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29766/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract with the HSE for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. As GPs are private practitioners, the scheduling of consultations is a matter for each individual practice. Where scheduling is required, GPs prioritise appointments based on urgency and health need.

As per the GMS contract, GMS GPs are not permitted to make surgery arrangements that discriminate between GMS patients and private patients.

GPs who hold a GMS contract are required by their contract to make suitable arrangements to enable contact to be made with them, or a locum or deputy, for emergencies outside of normal practice hours. Most GPs participate in GP out of hours co-operatives as a means of meeting this requirement, such services facilitate the provision of GP services outside of normal surgery hours to GMS patients and private patients. GP cooperatives are private organisations.

GP OOH services are intended for urgent GP care needed outside of normal surgery hours. Routine and regularly scheduled GP care involves a continuity of care best suited to the patient's GP practice and should be scheduled with that practice during normal hours.