Over-50s GP visits increased with free access, report finds

Gaining free access to the family doctor led to an increase in visits among the over-50s but losing a medical or GP visit card had the opposite effect, a report shows.

The number of medications taken regularly was also impacted by gaining a medical card: the report found usage increased by 16%.

The report ‘Changes in Public Healthcare Entitlement and Healthcare Utilisation among the Older Population in Ireland’ provided “actual proof” that removing financial barriers to accessing healthcare leads to greater usage, according to one of the authors, Dr Patrick Moore. Until now, that argument has been largely “anecdotal”, he said.