Restrictions on medical card scheme lifted

ALL family doctors will be able to treat medical card patients shortly once the Government fulfils a commitment to abolish all restrictions on entry into the general medical card scheme (GMS).

In its annual report published yesterday, the Department of Health said it expected any existing restrictions to be abolished by the third quarter of 2011. This is in line with a report by the Competition Authority last year which said opening up the GMS to all qualified GPs would benefit patients by allowing for increased competition between GP practices. It found that the GMS system favours existing GP practices and protects them from competition from newly qualified GPs. This limits the number of GP practices in Ireland.

The Government has also changed the age of compulsory retirement for GPs from 65 to 70.