The Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011 aims to change the rules governing medical card lists and instead, encourage young General Practitioners (GPs) to remain in Ireland and establish their practices here. The Bill intends to abolish restrictions on GPs obtaining contracts to treat public patients under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. Under the new Bill, any suitably qualified and vocationally trained GP will be entitled to enter into a contract with the HSE for the provision of services to GMS patients. The HSE will no longer be limited to granting such contracts in cases where a GMS contract holder has died, retired or resigned, or where the contract has otherwise been terminated. Pursuant to the Bill, GPs currently holding a GMS contract, on foot of the 2009 interim entry provisions, will also be entitled to accept any patient on to their list, who has nominated them as their doctor of choice. This is subject to any existing rules relating to panel size. Any GP contract holder who wishes to change their place of practice, will only be entitled to do so with the prior approval of the HSE. Furthermore, when creating or filling a GP position in future, the HSE will not be entitled to take into account the short or long term economic viability of that or of other GP practices in the area. It remains to be seen whether the new Bill will enhance competition and reduce the huge number of young GPs emigrating.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
