Sir, – Minister for Health, James Reilly (Letters, February 10th) writes that his health reforms are a two-term project. This I can understand, given that resources are limited at this time.
If universal free GP coverage is to be phased in, and we know that pilot projects in the Irish health care system tend to have a very long gestation, would it not be better to target the most vulnerable groups for any extension in access?
We have already seen the inequity of the over-70s medical card which gave free care to very many well off and soaked up the budget necessary to increase qualifying income thresholds.
This leaves very many families on meagre incomes above the threshold for a medical card. These are the families where a GP fee is a real barrier to timely health care.
I have always supported the idea of free GP services, but feel the fairest way to introduce this is to increase the qualifying income thresholds. The proportion of the population covered can increase as the budget allows. Introducing free care to all children under six just compounds the mistake of the over-70s deal.
Once again, well off and less needy will receive free care and vulnerable groups on low income will have to be _excluded given our present economic constraints. – Yours, etc,
Dr PHILIP MURPHY,
Bayview Family Practice,
Bundoran,
Co Donegal.