ICGP statement on free GP visits for under-fives
The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) has reacted to the confirmation from the Government that it plans to go ahead with taking over the cost of paying for GP care for under-fives from parents.
Kieran Ryan, CEO of the ICGP, said, "It is the policy of the ICGP to support mechanisms for the provision of care where ability to pay is not a barrier. However, the proposal that parents of all under-fives would not be charged directly for GP visits represents a major change to how early years health services are currently organised and paid for. There has been no discussion with the profession on this. It represents an excellent opportunity to look at how a high standard of care can be provided to under-fives, but planning, dialogue and inclusion of GPs and other stakeholders is required for it to work in practice."
Dr Darach Ó Ciardha, GP and member of the ICGP Executive, commented, "If the Government is going to take over the cost of GP visits for the under-fives, it will likely change the dynamic of how people use the service. There will be an inevitable surge in demand for children's health specialist services in hospital and diagnostics. If you see more people more often, then more conditions will be identified and require follow up. This is a good thing in terms of population health. However, the cost of the provision of the GP visits alone will be well in access of the €40m figure which has been floated and does not take into account the impact on specialist, diagnostics and hospital services.
Kieran Ryan, continued, "There are practical questions which need to be addressed as a matter of urgency if the Government intends to implement this policy, such as the need to establish what the package of care will look like."
Dr Darach Ó Ciardha said, "In the current economic climate, we have to assume that if the Government is taking over the burden of paying for these services from the individual, then the money to pay for the provision of these services is coming from somewhere else in the health system. If paying for this is coming from the medical card scheme, without that pot being increased considerably, then other vulnerable groups will be affected most. It would not be fair or reasonable that someone on a high salary, who can afford to pay for GP care for their child, would now get it for free, but that vulnerable people who need medical cards would lose them to pay for it."
The ICGP calls on the Minister and the Government to engage with GPs and other stakeholders without delay to discuss how this proposal to take over the cost of GP visits for under-fives from the individual might work, the likely impact on population health, how much it is likely to cost, how it will be funded and how the services will be provided on the ground.
