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NO FEE FOR doctors under the free GP care for children under six has been agreed, according to the Department of Health.
It had been reported that doctors are expected to be offered around €100 a year per child under the government’s new plan.
A statement to TheJournal.ie from the Department of Health states negotiations on a contract to facilitate free GP care to all children under the age of six are at an “advanced stage”.
However, it states discussions between the Department of Health, Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) have not concluded.
The department states:
It is not accurate to suggest that an offer of the type indicated by some reports is about to be made by the Department/HSE.
In addition, the IMO issued a statement, adding:
… media reports today on the nature of what was being discussed or considered in these negotiations by way of both payments and services are inaccurate and wide of the mark.
The HSE National Service Plan has set aside €25 million for the under six GP service.
“This estimate was based on existing service levels and fee rates,” said the department.
It is now envisaged an enhanced service including periodic assessments for children who reach the age of 2 and 5 will be included in the plan.
Enhanced services for children with asthma are also planned.
“At present the negotiations are focused on determining a fee for the service. Contracts will not be issued pending the conclusion of negotiations,” the department said.
“We do not expect that any contract will be offered to GPs until such negotiations have concluded,” said the IMO.
The government hopes the under 6 free care will be in place by the second quarter of 2015.
Additional reporting Paul Hosford
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Kids under 6 have to visit the doctors many times throughout the year in my experience, €100 per child, GPs will never agree to that.
Irene,
you must pamper your kids … youngsters always have something wrong with them … part of growing up … popping pills into them is not the answer … what they have wrong with them will only make them stronger
Till you know they end up in hospital with pneumonia because it was too much pampering to get their chest infection looked at.. No parent should ever feel bad about bringing their child to the doctor.
My little man ended up in hospital with chickenpox last year at just 17 months. I went to the doctor with him 3 times before they believed I wasn’t a crazy mother. He spent 8 nights in hospital, 3 of those on morphine, he had a temp of 105 (40.8) for a lot of that time. He had infected pox in his eyes and ears and it spread to his chest giving him pneumonia. He suffered from a secondary skin infection for months afterwards but hey I was just being overly cautious going to the doctor with him…
Sorry, but the average child should not be going to the doctor more than once a year.
There are people out there who struggle just to bring their sick child to the doctor. They cut down on food bills or miss paying bills so that they have the 50 euro they need to pay for the doctors bill. Even if it is once a year (most likely it will be at least that) a lot of times they’ll ask you to come back in a few months to see how they are getting on
This was meant to be in place at the beginning of last year, I’ve two under sixs so was delighted to think that as a parent the state would finally recognise the value of our younger fellow citizens. But yet again any help regarding the cost of childcare and health for our kids seems to be totally unimportant. Remember that our kids will be the ones looking after us in our old age so dosent it make sense that their fit and healthy and educated. Get it together fine Gael and stop making empty promises.
Take the roof off their heads stick them in hotel rooms and then give them free health care only in ireland
In their first budget (2011) blueshirts and blueshirts mark 2 introduced free gp care for those with long term illnesses. This was not an election promise but an actual item introduced in the budget. Has it happened in reality? Absolutely not. This govt have just sat on a throne of lies (to paraphrase the good buddy the elf). The media never really pulls them up on these blatant lies.
Doesn’t affect me, I never bring me kiddies to the doctor anyway … they’re young, they’ll shrug it off.
… and it’s more drink money for me and the fella!
Outstanding trolling,your best one yet jacinta
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