Rethink needed on free GP care for under12s

THERE is nothing worse than an unanticipated visit to the doctor when trying to manage your household finances.

When adults feel unwell, most of us will soldier on for as long as possible before bowing to the inevitable and paying our GP a visit. With the consultation fee, prescription costs and any over the counter medicines required, there is rarely much change out of €100.

But when it comes to our children’s health, we are generally reluctant to cut corners. This is especially true of babies who can’t articulate how sick they are feeling so parents have to rely on instinct alone.

Prior to the introduction of free GP care for under sixes this year, bringing your infant to the doctor was always costly and sometimes unnecessary – but always worth it for the peace of mind it gave.

The announcement in last week’s Budget that free GP care was to be extended to all children under 12 sounded – on the face of it – like a positive development. But the news was tempered by the fact that it wouldn’t be happening until late next year. 

In addition, it was met with a frosty response from the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) which argued that the renewal of the current GP contract had not yet been negotiated.

In this context, it seemed to be a case of the Government promising something it was not yet in a position to deliver; more aspirational than set in stone.  

On the ‘Prime Time’ Budget special, a member of the audience – a Garda – spoke movingly of his battle to secure medical treatment for his seriously ill child. Their application had initially been refused but it was now looking like the authorities had had a change of heart. It got me thinking, though. Should the Government not be making it easier for parents of chronically ill or disabled children to access free healthcare – regardless of their means – instead of dishing out GP consultations to a 10-year-old with a snotty nose and a cough?

Perhaps universal GP care for under-12s is not the way to go. It could result in local surgeries being overwhelmed and is open to abuse. Instead, I would favour a system where the cost of GP care for minors is subsidised by the State, with perhaps a nominal fee of €20 applied to every visit for middle earners. This would deter over-fussy parents from clogging up waiting rooms with children presenting with minor ailments. Crucially, it would also free up money that could be better spent elsewhere and provide universal free healthcare to those who need it most.