Free care for all will ‘collapse’ GP co-ops

Out-of-hours doctors’ co-ops will collapse if the proposal to roll out free GP care to all in the next five years is followed through, the chair of the Irish Association of GP Co-operatives has warned.

Ken Egan, a Mayo-based GP, said co-ops were already “getting flooded by the under sixes” since the extension of free GP care to this age cohort in 2015.

He said private patients went to the doctor about three times a year, but visits would double if free care came in for all.