Sir, – As thousands of staff are due to leave the HSE in the next week, as a GP and employer I can tell you exactly who will be doing the work of the HSE: our practice managers and staff.
Since the disaster of the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS)/medical card applications issue was raised by us last December, we are keeping a very close eye on the PCRS. Our practice manager is spending a lot more time inputting data and amending data in order that patients are receiving their entitlements and that GPs are being paid for their work.
The State is saving by foisting extra work on our staff who are not paid by the State but by us as employers.
As GPs, it is not our job to process medical cards. That responsibility lies firmly with the HSE and I object to the fact that my staff have to do this work for which they do not receive payment, fat pensions or bonuses. – Yours, etc,