Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A MEETING BETWEEN Government officials and GP representatives today doesn’t appear to have eased any doubts among unions that free GP care for children aged under six is achievable in its current form.
“What we have heard today has given us no confidence that promises made to patients by Government can be realised,” the IMO’s Ray Walley said following the meeting.
“What is happening here is nothing more than an imposition by Government of terms and conditions on doctors and this does not happen in Government dealings with any other sector.”
The Irish College of General Practitioners and the National Association of General Practitioners were also involved in today’s discussions.
A draft contract will be published by the HSE this evening and the public will have three weeks to make submissions on their views as part of a consultation process.
Minister of State for Primary Care Alex White has said that he is hopeful that the public consultation on the issue will achieve “broad engagement”.
The Government has committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service by 2016 and have set aside €37 million of funding for this year as part of its phased introduction.
Once the fee structure is determined, it is envisaged that the he setting of the rates will be a matter for the Minister for Health subject to the provisions of legislation currently being drafted.
But the IMO say that the process to date has been “flawed”.
“In respect of this issue, the Government has prioritised spin over substance. They may succeed in impressing the electorate in the short term by pushing through this policy change but if the introduction of this change is mishandled, it will prove a pyrrhic victory indeed,” said Walley.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The what’s in it for me party
I think that’s called Fine Gael or is it Finns Fail
Think I’d give my first preference to the sex party and my second to the hemp party. Glad to see they’ve formed a coalition. They need to get the Rock n Roll party involved and they could really shake things up
Mandatory voting?! What a terrible idea forcing the uniterested and uninformed to cast a vote
There was no problem getting the uninformed to vote in the UK last week
its a shame they didn’t have it in the uk last week, it might have changed things. nothing wrong with making it compulsary tweety, it gets people to think about what they are voting for. not like last weeks nonsense..immigrant this and that. what absolute waffle.
Uninterested and uninformed is just another way of saying lazy ***** who couldnt be arsed voting. I’m all in favour of mandatory voting if it means those that arent bothered voting get fined.
Compulsory voting just means people will turn up and spoil their votes. #dumbaussies
Compulsory voting means uninformed people get to vote, often parroting what the tabloid media is crapping on about. It also means issues can be made up/ overstated to garner votes – for example Tony Abbotts ‘stop the boats’ bullshite and off shore processing for refugees ( far more refugees in Australia arrive in planes than boats, but you can’t make as big a noise about that).
The tabloid media has far too much power because of compulsory voting, and that means Murdoch and Packer pretty much control the country
Cool I’ll go for Brexit
that flux party voting app thing could be the future. one of the great problems is that when we elect our politicians they then have a five year mandate with free reign to do what ever the hell they want. this app would really give people an ongoing say in massive decisions (eg burining unsecured bondholders) that are currently out of our hands.
I couldn’t see any of our political mob as Sex Party material! Now the Flux Party sounds sorta familiar alright!
Joan burton
Boris was rumoured to be running for the sex party, but he pulled out too early.
They should join forces and call themselves ‘The All Night Party’.
have your say