More than 1,500 general practitioners are to be balloted on a proposed withdrawal from the medical card scheme in a dispute over pay. The Irish Medical Organisation chief executive, Mr George McNeice, said disruption of the general medical services (GMS) system, which covers 35 per cent of the population, would hit a number of schemes and other services. These included the indicative drug budgeting scheme (whereby doctors prescribe cheaper drugs and receive incentives), the mother and child scheme, social welfare schemes and Department of Justice schemes involving GPs.
He said it was the unanimous decision of the organisation's GP committee that a ballot be held. Last week, the Department refused to accept a claim by GPs for a special pay award of 5.5 per cent under the provisions of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, an award that could be worth between £5 million and £8 million for the medical card scheme GPs.
Mr McNeice argued that all other groups in the public sector had received the special increases. "It is an issue of credibility and an issue of trust. We would be calling on the other contractors in the health services, the Department of Health and the health boards to meet the commitments they have entered into and then we can get on with the business of partnership," Mr McNeice said.
No date has been set for the ballot but he said it would be arranged "fairly quickly". The last time GPs threatened such action was in 1992. The action was averted just four days before it was due to go ahead, when a deal was struck with the doctors. "Unfortunately in the case of the health services every group that has had an entitlement has had to go on strike. It is a sad reflection on the state of the health services," Mr McNeice said.
He was speaking following an IMO extraordinary general meeting in Portlaoise yesterday. The meeting had been convened by collecting more than 70 members' signatures on a proposal to call on the Government "to introduce a comprehensive free general practice service for all".
More than 190 doctors attended the meeting: the motion was defeated by a large majority.
Dr Cyril Daly, from Dublin, proposed the motion. Opposing the motion, Dr Cormac Macnamara, past president of the IMO, said it was "an extremely unfortunate proposal at just this time" since the IMO would be balloting members on withdrawal from the scheme shortly.