Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 404: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the renewal of a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [10729/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Health and Children his plans to address the situation whereby general practitioners are charging patients with medical cards for blood tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10730/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, a general practitioner (GP) is expected to provide his/her patients who hold medical cards or GP visit cards with all proper and necessary treatment of a kind generally undertaken by a GP. Where blood tests form part of the investigation and necessary treatment of patients' symptoms or conditions, these should be provided free of charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. The HSE also points out that, in many GP surgeries, it is the practice nurse who takes blood samples. The HSE significantly subsidises the cost of employing practice nurses.

If the HSE is made aware of specific cases where GMS patients are being charged by GP contractors, it will arrange to have such cases investigated as appropriate. A report has been requested from the Primary Care Unit Managers in the HSE on the extent of complaints received and the status of same.