Varadkar must inject funding into treatment of chronic illness

Minister Leo Varadkar has made it clear GPs will have to agree to free care for under six and over 70 before funding for chronic care will be sought by him.

In the meantime we have hospitals full of people with complications of diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease, some of which could have been prevented if GPs were resourced in terms of staff and equipment to manage these conditions properly.

The 2015 Health Service Plan does little to address the crisis in the health service. This government must now change its priorities and put its nation’s health above failed, attempted ‘people pleasing’ policy.