Free GP care plan for under-6s ‘draconian’

The Irish Medical Organisation has claimed legislation to facilitate free GP care for the under-sixes is “draconian” and “an attempt to unilaterally re-write the relationship between GPs and the HSE”.

Dr Ray Walley, chairman of the GP Committee of the IMO, said the legislation, (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2014, which was published yesterday “has nothing to do with GP visit cards for children”.

“It is nothing less than a unilateral attempt to replace the long-standing General Medical Services (GMS) contract with a new, draconian contract which will destroy the very fabric of the GP service in Ireland,” he said.