GPs urge deferral of free care for under-sixes

The introduction of free GP care for children under six should be put on hold in favour of widening medical card access to those most in need, a representative body has said.

The National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) is urging all family doctors to refuse to sign any contract for the Government’s proposed scheme of giving all under-sixes free GP care. The introduction of GP visit cards to under-sixes was initially planned to begin last summer but was deferred.

The NAGP has around 1,200 members out of around 2,300 GPs, but has not been included in talks to decide a revised GPs contract and a contract to commence of the under-sixes scheme. With negotiations already taking place between the Department of Health, HSE, and representative body the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), Health Minister Leo Varadkar is hopeful of getting this first element of universal health care in place during 2015.