Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020
1200. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of each of the expansions outlined in the Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2020, in tabular form; the timeline for commencement of each section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21567/20]
View answerThe Government is committed to increasing access to GP care without charges for children, an important healthcare measure that will remove a potentially prohibitive cost barrier to accessing GP care and will help to improve children’s health as they develop.
The Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2020 was signed into law in August. This Act provides, amongst other things, for the phased expansion of GP care without fees to all children aged 12 years and under. The initial stage of this phased expansion will be the provision of GP care without fees to all children aged between 6 and 8.
Funding in respect of the expansion of GP care without fees to all children aged between 6 and 8, as well as other measures provided under the Act, has been provided for within the Budget 2020 package of family friendly measures, which amounted to €45m in total. Introduction of the expansion of GP care without fees will be the subject of negotiation with the IMO, representing general practitioners, and the exact cost will depend on the outcome of those negotiations.
The appropriate date for commencing the expansion remains under consideration in light of COVID-19 and the additional pressures the expansion might place on general practice in that context and in anticipation of the usual increase in demand for healthcare services over the winter period. This date will be determined in consultation with the IMO. It is important to ensure that any additional pressures placed on general practice will not limit its capacity to meet the needs of all patients in the community.
