Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Ceist:156. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the way in which she is expanding GP access to community diagnostics schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52379/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 2 October 2025
Ceisteanna (156)
Freagraí scríofa
The GP Access to Community Diagnostics (GPACD) Scheme is available for referrals by GPs to the full adult population, aged 16 years and over, delivering community-based radiology scans through contracted private providers. This scheme provides GPs with access to a defined list or scope of examinations, with the clinical examination scope reviewed and updated to ensure and maintain the delivery of an effective service, aligned with community needs and with growing demand.
During the most recent examination scope, a clinical team assessed and reviewed the types of diagnostic examinations provided, and those examinations deemed most suitable or clinically appropriate for community follow-up, and/or management within General Practice, were prioritised for inclusion.
Examinations where community follow-up and/or management within GP practice is not the most appropriate pathway are excluded from the GPACD Scheme, for example cancer care or other conditions where management is more appropriate through clinical teams in a hospital setting.
This process was developed to ensure that these tailored diagnostic pathways meet community clinician and patient requirements, whilst optimising healthcare resources.
Without access to the over 1.1m community radiology scans provided through the GPACD scheme since its implementation in 2021, these patients would have been referred to acute hospitals to access these scans, further increasing pressure on hospital radiology Department waitlists.
This initiative builds on the Community Access to Ultrasound (US) Scheme, which began in 2019 for Medical Card, GP Visit Card, and HAA cardholders. The GPACD scheme provides supplementary capacity to existing diagnostic pathways and addresses systemic inequalities, particularly for the over 50% of the population without private health insurance, who previously faced longer waits for diagnostic scans.
GPACD has demonstrated significant improvements in accessing these diagnostic scans for both GPs and patients, who previously depended on outpatient referrals or emergency department visits to access certain diagnostics. Importantly, this scheme is ringfenced specifically for use by, and for referrals from GPs. The scheme is delivered by approved private providers and aims to address urgent referrals within one month and routine referrals within three months.
GPACD also has a powerful impact on patient care through timely access to diagnostics, allowing for earlier diagnosis, and more rapid access to care, and closer to home. The scheme supports increased patient management in General Practice and facilitates a reduction in the number of referrals that GPs are required to make to hospital Outpatient Departments to access these tests.
Community Diagnostics have also been expanded with the implementation of the new Community Mobile X-Ray service, delivered by Mobile Medical Diagnostics (MMD), which is operational nationally and providing services primarily to older persons residing in nursing homes. Access is also available to those in community disability units and/or private dwellings where attendance for an X-Ray outside their home would pose significant challenges.
While GPs are the primary referrers for the Mobile X-Ray service, other clinicians and Advanced Nurse Practitioners who have been explicitly approved by the Radiology Safety Committee can also refer patients. This allows for the fact that GPs are not the only medical professionals providing care to residents in nursing home settings. Through this service, in 2024, 7,221 people received an X-ray at home, thereby avoiding hospital attendance to access this diagnostic test. 97% of Mobile X-Ray referrals are typically completed on the same day of referral, with cases then rapidly reported within 4 hours.
This year the GP Access to Community Diagnostics initiative also continues to provision scans to patients nationwide, with over 146,000 scans already provided to the end Q2 2025. Of these 86,898 were MRI scans, 34,212 were X-Rays, 10,282 were CT scans and 15,359 were DEXA scans, provided to patients in community settings and close to home.
Funding for the continuation of the GPACD scheme has been allocated as part of Budget 2026, with the scope of examinations continuing to be reviewed to ensure the greatest and most efficient use of allocated resources.