Irish Medical Organisation

Statement by IMO GP Committee - Minister is “courting disaster” with plans to extend GP visit cards to children

Tuesday 14th January 2014. Dr. Ray Walley, Chairman of the GP Committee of the IMO, has strongly criticised the Minster for Health on the issue of free GP visit cards for children under six. Dr. Walley said that the Minister was being “arrogant” by implying that he can simply dictate the terms of a revolutionary change in GP services without even discussing the issue with the IMO as the representative body for GPs. The Minister was speaking tonight (Tues) to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health.

Dr. Walley said that the Minister was “was courting disaster” by pressing ahead with the extension of GP visit cards to children in an unplanned, un-coordinated way; “GPs are under massive pressure as it is and we will need more resources to be able to cope with the increased demand on our services that will follow from a sweeping extension of GP visit cards. Change like this needs careful planning and negotiation and we’re not getting it from this Minister.”
 

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