Family planning services cut for medical card holders

THE Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has suspended services to medical card holders at its main Dublin clinic, as it has used up all of its HSE funding.

In a statement the IFPA said it had taken the decision because funding from the Health Services Executive had been “exhausted”.

The statement also said no additional funding is to be made available for the remainder of the year to cover medical card services at its Cathal Brugha Street clinic in Dublin.

The group advised medical card holders to attend their GP for family planning and women’s health services.

IFPA chief executive Niall Behan said that there had been an increased demand for its services in recent months and that the suspension of services could have serious consequences.

“Already this year, we have provided over 4,000 appointments to medical card clients from our city centre clinic. The suspension of our services may have serious consequences for these clients in their choice of contraception. It may also lead to an increase in crisis pregnancy,” he said.

Mr Behan said the lack of funding available to help reduce crisis pregnancy contradicted the Government’s commitment to the issue.

“The loss of the IFPA service to medical card holders further compounds the barriers faced by vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in accessing contraception,” he said.

The HSE said it provided funding to the IFPA annually, the level of which is limited to an agreed allocation discussed at local service agreement meetings.