Free GP care to be expanded to another half a million people

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has announced an expansion of free GP care to a further half a million people by this autumn.

The free care is to be expanded to include all six and seven-year-olds, as well as people who are earning up to the median income, estimated to be at just under 47,000 euro a year.

This is expected to apply to around 78,000 children, and the income limit expansion is set to benefit up to 430,000 people.

Applications for GP visit cards for children aged six and seven will open on August 11, while the first phase of the income-based expansion will begin on September 11, with the second phase starting on November 13.

Mr Donnelly said there was a “very substantial financial element” for GPs as part of the announcement, including an increase in fees.

Speaking at Government Buildings, Mr Donnelly said that the total amount of 130 million euro is “in excess” of what had been provided for in Budget 2023, in order to ensure GPs had the resources they needed as access was expanded.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said that “it is ahead of what we agreed” in the Budget, and said that it was an investment in capacity to ensure that it “genuinely translates into better accessibility”.

Speaking on his way into Cabinet, Mr Donnelly said the agreement had come after “several months of very constructive, productive engagement with the IMO on behalf of GPs”.

“It’s a really important measure for people all over the country who simply cannot afford to go to the GP.

“This government is fully committed to universal healthcare. One of the cornerstones of universal healthcare is that the healthcare must be affordable.

“And we know that while there is over two million people in the country who have either a medical card or a GP card, and there are others who can afford the 60 or the 65 euro to see a GP, (but) there are many in the middle who simply cannot afford it and simply we do not want a situation where people put off going to see their GP.

“So this is a really important measure, half a million men, women and children, and it’s in two parts. So it includes now children aged six and seven – all children aged six and seven – and it includes up to the median household income.

“The median household income of 47,000 euro is after some big reductions. So it’s after rent, it’s after mortgages, it’s after childcare, and it’s after a few other things like house insurance as well and we’ll make the details of that available.

“Critically as well, we know GPs have said, quite rightly, they’re under pressure and they need extra capacity. There is a very substantial financial element to this measure for GPs. Increasing the fees that they are paid, but critically as well, increasing supports for them to hire more staff and to invest in their practices.

“We’ve been putting a lot of extra supports and services around them, like access to diagnostics – something that has gone down very well with GPs and their patients, they’re now central to chronic disease management.”

He added: “I am absolutely confident that this is a measure that works for patients, right across the country, and also it works for our fantastic general practitioners right across the country as well.”