FAQs

A parent/guardian may bring 1 or 2 children to the doctor at the same time. If you need to bring more than one family member to see the Doctor, please ensure you book a Consultation appointment for each person. This will ensure the Doctor has sufficient time to deal with each person’s medical issue.

A Medical Card provides you with a range of medical services from your nominated GP. These services are provided to you free under a contract between the HSE and your GP and include standard medical consultations and related services required for the treatment of acute illnesses. No distinction is made between Medical Cards and Doctor Visit Cards (DVC) in relation to services from your GP however, holders of DVC will have to pay for medications in the pharmacy.

The Medical Card and Doctor Visit Card (DVC) schemes are intended to provide for acute medical services to those who are eligible and entitled to the cards. There are however a range of medical services and administrative requests which are not covered by the GMS contract and therefore not paid for by the state. These include (but are not limited to):
– Routine blood tests
– Administrative forms including those issued by the Department of Social Protection
– Forms for medical appliances, respite, grants and tax credits,
– Examinations and forms relating to insurance policies
– Examinations and forms relating to Driving Licence Medicals
– Examinations and reports and records for Medical Legal purposes
– Pre-employment medical examinations and forms
– Examinations and forms in connection with fitness to take part in sports or attend gyms
– Travel vaccinations and travel health consultations
– Other vaccinations

In all of these cases, fees will apply for the completion of these examinations, forms and services.

You can see full details of the Medical Card and Doctor Visit Card (Under 6’s and Over 70’s) schemes here on the HSE website. In summary, a Doctor Visit Card (DVC) will cover you for visits to the doctor and many of the standard medical services provided by your GP (not all services are covered – see above), however, you are not entitled to free medication with a DVC and therefore will need to pay for your medications at the pharmacy.

The conditions for using your Medical Card or Doctor Visit Card are that you attend the doctor for whom the card had been issued (the GP whose name is on the card, or a colleague in the same practice).

It may be possible for you to see a doctor in Sirona Medical in the case of an emergency or if you are temporarily away from the area where you normally live. Please make the Reception staff aware if you hold a Medical Card with another GP. Unfortunately, if you are not able to get an appointment with your own GP, you are not automatically entitled to see a different GP under the medical card scheme. Fees for consultation will apply in this case.

Most people / patients can undertake a normal exercise or gym programme without reference to a doctor. From time to time, patients will request a GP letter for a gym or fitness / exercise activity. Patients are usually asked to “get a letter from your GP stating you are fit to exercise”.

In all cases, if you are requesting that a GP provide a letter for a third party, including a gym or fitness trainer, the third party must provide the reason for the request in writing. Your gym or fitness trainer should give you a letter or form, sometimes know as a ‘GP Referral Form’ stating why they need a letter from your GP, and what is the basis or criteria for the request.

Letters for gyms, trainers or other third parties cannot be completed by the GP without the written request. You can hand in your letter of request or form in to Reception. If there is a form or part of a form for you to complete, please ensure you have completed all your sections of the paperwork & signed the declaration prior to handing in the form.

Requests for the completion of third-party forms or letters is an administrative task and will be completed by the doctors outside appointment times and clinical work. We aim to complete administrative forms and letters within 2 weeks of receiving them, however it may be longer at busy times, as these are done outside clinical work.