Lenihan backs doctor-only medical cards for under-fives

DOCTOR-ONLY medical cards should be extended to all children under the age of five, according to Minister for Children Brian Lenihan.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, he said he believed such a move would have a huge impact on paediatric care in this country.

Doctors’ representative groups have said they would oppose such a move unless it was means-tested, as it would repeat the over-70s scenario where people who can afford GP visits benefit.

Mr Lenihan said: “I believe it would be a tremendous development to extend the doctor visitor cards to under-fives. I believe there is a strong case for extending them to this group as they have a distinct need. I’d be a strong advocate of the move but it’s something that would have to be discussed with the Tánaiste.

“It takes a number of years to get these things done. Just look at what has happened with the visitor cards to date - it has taken nearly a year to get them out. But, I think it would be a huge investment in our children.”

But a spokesman for the Irish Medical Organisation GP Committee, Dr Ronan Boland, did not think it would be a “good idea”.

“We do not think it would be a good idea to give eligibility to any group on the basis of age alone. It would result in people getting cards who don’t need them while there are many people out there who deserve full medical cards but can’t get them.

“We would welcome an expansion of the scheme but on a means-tested basis only. I am surprised a minister would make such a statement after seeing the consequences of the over-70s expansion.”

Irish College of General Practitioners spokesman, Dr Niall Ó Cléirigh, said this age group needed full medical cards, not second best.

“Our bottom line is that many parents of children in that age group need a full medical card. The doctor-only card is second best,” he said.

“We fully support giving full medical cards to this group as, after the elderly, they have the greatest need. But such an extension would have to be means tested so the over-70s isn’t repeated.”