Row over fees to GPs could delay vaccination rollout

The Irish Medical organisation has said GPs feel “taken for granted” in a wrangle which threatens to delay the start of a new programme of vaccinations due to begin in December.

From the beginning of next month, the HSE and the Department of Health wanted to add two new vaccines to be administered by GPs to all children born after October 1 — for meningococcal B (MenB) and rotavirus.

However, the IMO said no agreement had been reached between GPs and the Department of Health, in what one doctor described as “a failure of consultation”.