Patients will be able to access substantially improved community health services, including new advanced diagnostic facilities locally, according to a radical primary care strategy due to be presented today.
The Irish Times has learned the primary care strategy to be outlined by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, will include the following initiatives:
A national primary care task force will be established to oversee reforms;
Significantly extended availability of out-of-hours primary/GP care;
GP co-operatives to be extended to provide full coverage throughout the State;
Mechanisms for active community involvement in the new teams will be put in place.
The teams, which will be accessible via a free-phone number and the Internet, will include GPs, public health nurses, practice nurses, home help, and paramedical staff including occupational therapists and physiotherapists. It is anticipated that up to 30 of these teams will be operational by the end of 2003.
In 10 years' time there will be at least 400 in place throughout the Republic. Enhanced out-of-hours services are part of the plan; patients will no longer be restricted to "calling out" a doctor during the night and at weekends.
Primary care teams are to be put in place to service populations of 3,000 to 7,000. Patients will be encouraged to enrol with these teams, although registration will be voluntary.
The primary care changes are central to the Government's health strategy which was published on Monday. They are seen as a key to relieving pressure on the hospital system as well as encouraging a broad range of health promotion initiatives in the community.
It is understood the plan is based on national strategies published in other countries. Common themes which emerge from these include the key role of inter-disciplinary team working, the need for improved information and the importance of patient enrolment.
On the key issue of allowing patients to bypass the family doctor and to refer themselves directly to other team members, the document is expected to encourage enrolment both with a team and with a particular GP within that team.
The Irish College of General Practitioners and the Irish Medical Organisation are expected to welcome today's document though the issues of team leadership and retaining the traditional gatekeeper role of family doctors will be of particular concern to them.
At Monday's launch of the national health strategy the Minister for Health said in reference to primary care that "what is planned is nothing less than a visionary innovation".