GPs start vote on medical card deal

Doctors have begun balloting on a £15 million package toprovide free GP treatment to all over 70s from July 1st.

The IMO and the Health Service Employers Agency (HSEA) reached a deal last night after two days of exhaustive talks which have resulted in a 50 per cent increase in the HSEA’s original offer of £10 million.

The free medical card scheme for all over 70s was proposed under thelast Budget and will see an extra 33,000 people qualifying for freetreatment.

Even though the IMO is recommending the deal, GPs remaindisappointed their central concern – that the scheme ignores peoplein lower-income groups – was not dealt with, and said they will notlet the matter rest.It is understood GPs were given assurances this issue will be dealtwith under the upcoming Health Strategy review and that theDepartment of Health is committed to resolving this.

The new deal also provides a fee of approximately £500 for GPstreating elderly medical card patients in nursing homes and will makeit easier for doctors with large numbers of over 70s patients toqualify for nursing and secretarial grants.

From Sunday all over 70s will be treated free of charge by their GP. The result of the ballot will be known in two weeks. If it isrejected, GPs will be paid pro-rata for their new over 70s patientsfor two weeks and would then seek to return to the negotiatingtable.