GPs may not implement new medical cards

OFFICIALS from the Department of Health are to meet with doctors’ leaders after GPs indicated that they may not co-operate with the introduction of doctor-only medical cards.

The cards are due to be available to 200,000 patients in April but the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has warned its members are unsure about co-operating with the scheme as they believe outstanding grievances with the department should be addressed first.

But yesterday IMO president Dr James Reilly said senior members of the IMO do not intend “turning this into an industrial relations issue”.

“We agree with the cards on principle and we want a meeting to discuss how the new scheme will be implemented and administered.

A Department of Health spokesman said the IMO had not been approached yet with a date for the planned meeting on the new scheme.

“It will take place with officials, not the Tánaiste (Health Minister Mary Harney), and will not be a ‘negotiation style’,” a departmental spokesman said.

It was originally hoped the cards would be in place this month, but under advice from the Attorney General, new legislation has been drafted to underpin the development of the cards. This has yet to go through the Dáil.

Chairman of the IMO GP Committee Dr Martin Daly said it was vital that the new scheme was properly administered.

According to Dr Daly, the IMO wants to discuss the social welfare rights of doctor-only cards; whether patients are entitled to cover for hospital beds, hospital clinics and whether prescriptions would be written on GMS or private scripts.

Those eligible for the doctor-only care will be single people with a weekly income of not over €191 and couples earning not over €277.

Labour spokeswoman on health, Liz Mc Manus, said yesterday there was also concern among officials in the former health board areas about the implementation of the scheme.