Free GP for under-sixes‘by autumn’

The medical card fiasco will not impact on plans to introduce free GP care for all children under six, the Government pledged yesterday.

Earlier this week, the Government announced that an additional €13m would be provided to the HSE to meet the cost of reinstating discretionary medical cards.

Minister of state for health, Alex White, told members of the Oireachtas Select Committee on Health that money for the cards would not be coming out of the €37m provided in the budget for free GP care for under-sixes.

He also said that the money for the free GP care for under-sixes would not be funded from savings implemented elsewhere in the health system.

Mr White said the free GP scheme would not be introduced during the summer as planned.

“We did say June/July. It is not going to be June/July,” said Mr White. “I see every possibility for this to be implemented by autumn. I see that as a realistic prospect.”

The GP Committee of the IMO later called on the Government to reassess extending GP cards to all children under the age of six and to prioritise sick children instead.

Mr White made his comments during the committee stage of the Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill that will provide the free GP service for under-sixes.

He said it was important that the proposed legislation was viewed as a “stepping stone” to a universal GP service.

“What I would like to see is the rapid roll-out in successive phases of more GP coverage,” he said, adding that a “comprehensive paper” would be published by the Government in September outlining the future steps towards free GP care for all.

He said the “so-called gagging clause” to prevent GPs speaking out on issues that could be seen as criticising the HSE would be addressed in his discussions with the Irish Medical Organisation.

The clause was inserted in the draft contract drawn up by the HSE for GPs taking part in the proposed new medical cover service for children.

Health Minister James Reilly said last March that he would not preside over a situation in which GPs were “gagged” contractually.

He welcomed the Government’s decision to develop a new policy framework of eligibility for health services to take account of medical conditions.

“While I do not wish to pre-judge the deliberations of the expert panel and the consideration by Government, I would expect that a number of conditions will be identified that will further expand the coverage for GP services,” said Dr Reilly.

Independent TD Seamus Healy said Dr Reilly had written to him telling him that it was illegal for GPs to charge patients for blood tests.

“It will be as big an issue as the discretionary medical cards if the minister fails to take action,” said Mr Healy.