Fears over means tested free GP visit plan: Care for sickest first, urges Cork doctor

A CORK doctor has welcomed initiatives to remove financial barriers for patients accessing healthcare but said expanding free GP care without considering the public’s healthcare needs is a concern.

Nick Flynn, GP with MyCorkGP group, which is a part of Centric Health, said that while GPs welcome Health Minister Stephen Donnelly’s announcement of the opening of applications for GP visit cards for up to 215,000 people who are newly eligible, there are concerns over what it will mean for some patients.

It is the first of two phases that will provide free GP care to an estimated 430,000 people in Ireland on a means-tested basis.

“As GPs, we welcome initiatives to remove financial barriers for patients accessing healthcare, including access to general practice,” Dr Flynn told The Echo. “However, this type of crude increase in eligibility without consideration of the population’s healthcare needs is not, in my opinion, the best use of scarce healthcare resources [in this case GP appointments].

“I think GPs in general would prefer if Government strategies to improve access to healthcare improved it for the sickest people first,” he said.

“So now we have 215,000 people becoming eligible for free GP care — they will attend the GP more often — without any measurable improvement in individual or population health. The appointments used by this group will then be unavailable for other sicker patients,” Dr Flynn continued.

“Removing financial barriers to accessing healthcare and a GP is welcome, however, until the system has enough capacity — available GP appointments — I would encourage the Government, Minister Donnelly, and the Department of Health to focus on strategies that ensure the sickest people in society can access a GP appointment before universal access is considered.”

Free GP care expansion

The expansion of free GP care to close to 500,000 people this year is supported by the landmark agreement between the Department of Health, the HSE, and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) signed in early July 2023 which put in place a series of financial supports for GPs.

On August 8, free GP care was expanded to 78,000 children aged six and seven.

From today, free GP care is expanded to 215,000 people aged between eight and 69 on a means-tested basis. From November 13, it will be expanded to 215,000 more people on a means-tested basis.

People aged up to 69 and parents of children aged eight and up can apply for a means-tested GP visit card on the HSE website.

The means test assessment considers a person’s or family’s circumstances, income, and expenses.

Health Minister Donnelly said the expansion of the GP visit card scheme will help people manage the current cost of living challenges and encouraged those who may be eligible to apply.

“We are increasing GP training places by over a third so that we will have 350 places annually by 2024,” said Mr Donnelly.

“We secured a landmark agreement with the IMO which supports GPs to recruit and retain more staff.

“We are supporting the Irish College of General Practitioners’ successful non-EU GP Training Scheme which is bringing qualified doctors into frontline care in Ireland now.

“The expansion of the GP Visit Card scheme in 2023 is a significant milestone as we bring free GP care to close to 500,000 people this year. I am committed to ensuring affordable access for people in Ireland who are facing the toughest economic challenges.

“Removing the cost barrier to visiting their GP gives them better access to health care and supports their health and wellbeing,” he added.

• Visit: hse.ie/GPVisitCards