Free GP care: Parents can now register children aged 6 and 7

Health Minister said the measure 'will ensure that cost is not a barrier to accessing healthcare and provides vital support to families dealing with cost-of-living challenges'. Picture: iStock

Parents can register children aged six and seven for free GP care from today, Friday, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has announced.

The GP visit cards are now available for all children aged under eight, in the first stage of an expansion of free GP care which will ultimately add 500,000 people to schemes, including around 78,000 children aged six and seven.

“I am delighted to announce that registrations for children aged 6 and 7 for the expanded under-8s GP visit card scheme will open today, while current GP visit cards will be automatically extended until a child’s eighth birthday,” Mr Donnelly said.

“This will ensure that cost is not a barrier to accessing healthcare and provides vital support to families dealing with cost-of-living challenges,” he added. “The move is an important step towards universal healthcare.”

He described the move as “a significant milestone” and said: “I am committed to ensuring that cost will not be a barrier for children’s healthcare.”

Any child who turned six since July 1 will have their card automatically extended, and other parents can register on hse.ie.

A child must be registered and have their card before availing of the free appointments.

The deal is part of an agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), and includes financial supports for GPs.

Tadhg Crowley, chair of the IMO GP committee said: “We are one of the only countries in the world that doesn’t have a system that is free at the point of delivery for patients.”

He said he has seen families who delayed seeking care because of financial reasons, and said: “in terms of young patients, this is a very good news story. They now have a card that will allow them free service when they go to see their GP.”

However, he added: “A wider debate is will it allow them to get help quicker?

“It probably won’t. There are waiting lists in general practice. But at least when you get to see your GP, there won’t be a charge for you.”

He welcomed the support measures, saying they are needed because “the big problem is we don’t have enough doctors in the system”.