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THE GOVERNMENT HAS said it has reached an agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) on a revised GP contract which will see – among other measures – free GP care for children aged 12 and under.
Also included in the contract is a structured chronic disease management programme, ehealth measures, pharmacist-led medication reviews and reforms to maternity and paternity leave.
In return for GPs’ cooperation with the reforms, the government will increase its investment in general practice by 40% – or €210 million – over the next four years.
Health Minister Simon Harris said today the agreement is a “landmark for the health service”.
Under the agreement, GPs will offer venesection for patients with haemochromatosis, meaning that 8,000 people will no longer have to attend hospitals for therapeutic phlebotomy.
The provision of free GP care for under 12s will be phased in over the next few years, beginning from next year. Previously, children under the age of six could access free GP care.
GPs will also formally cooperate with HSE multidisciplinary networks of health professionals delivering care in the community, with a special focus on those with complex needs.
The chronic disease management programme will cover patients with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, COPD and cardiovascular disease, and try to address issues for patients at an early stage.
There are currently 1.56 million people in the country with a medical card, and over 500.000 with a GP visit card, meaning 42% of the population has access to GP care currently, the government said.
Total payments to GPs in 2017 under these schemes amounted to €525 million and this increased funding will help to implement reforms recommended in the landmark Sláintecare plan, according to Harris.
The health minister said: “I appreciate that GPs have been under pressure in recent years to maintain services in the face of increasing demand and stretched resources.
The funding stream that will flow in return for the changes we are announcing today will put general practice on a much more sustainable footing and help to make it an attractive and exciting career choice for doctors.
Usually in an economic crisis countries resort to economic protectionism and barriers to free trade. Thankfully we’ve learned from the past and are instead seeing free trade as one of the many routes to recovery. Fair play to Obama, ain’t no way in hell Mitt Romney would have touched this idea.
Let’s hope we can use our presidency to advance these talks. We’ve everything to gain in the way of foreign direct investment and jobs.
the federal reserve runs america not the president so it wouldnt have made a difference whether its obama or romney.
If you want to learn from the past, maybe you should take a look at the mess that NAFTA made of the Mexican economy.
@limofax nafta also destroyed the US economy as mexican truck drivers undercut americans.US companies now outsource manufacturing to mexico as its cheaper & pay no import duties on goods.free trade is all about the big boys maximising profits.its the little guy that suffers with job losses.
The damage to Mexican farmers is down to US subsidies to the corn industry, not to the free trade policy itself.
and overall NAFTA has been of benefit to the Mexican economy.
Wrong on both counts. You need to Google it a bit harder than that.
Mexico’s economy is booming. GDP growth of 4% last year and rising.
Another step towards a one world government ? US, Canada & Mexico linked in the AMERO & Europe linked in the Euro & now the US & Europe will be linked so when the next crisis happens the talks will be about lets link the Euro & AMERO to create jobs & growth ? ? ! !
The ‘invisible hand’ as introduced by Adams into Economics will be used to line more pockets for the rich from the hard work of the middle and lower classes.
Can you imagine if people made these comments when free trade in the EU was first proposed?
Thank God TheJournal wasn’t around back then, Europe would still be at war.
Oh I contradicted your faith in greed just as I’m contradicting your belief in supernatural superstitions now. This god of your was created as another control mechanism for the workforce. A better life in the next one. Don’t make me laugh :)
I don’t think David that there is anything wrong with being very cautious about any new agreements. However, blind optimism is just plain stupid. A deal will only be a good deal if its a great deal for our citizens. Anything which would further drive down wages or allow multinationals to lay waste to our SME sector or independent retailers would be a disaster.
Well look, you go close the borders while I get my coat.
There’s no future in this country without free trade.
They once told us a country couldn’t survive without free trade in men, women and children of the same skin colour as the lad in the pic. Don’t take everything you learn in Trinners as a student mate as gospel mate. Been there. Done that ;)
I never mentioned closing the borders. I was talking about a good deal for our citizens. David, you could save yourself and FG any further daily embarrassment by not commenting on anything at all. I’d nearly believe that the reason FF polled higher than FG on Monday is down to your mutterings on here. If you’re the future of FG, then we all need to get our coats. Gullibility is not something to shout about.
Oh he’s a blueshirt. They’ve always been all about expansion. I should have known better and realised his was a party political broadcast.
Watch the US government pushing GM sh1t on Europe with Monsanto nudging them along. They’ve screwed up farming and food over there. Soon you’ll hear how GMO will help our agri industry prosper…. NO NO NO!!!!!!
Free trade will benefit the whole world. This is great news.
American’s eat GM food with no adverse effects to their health or environment. I would like to have the option of buying cheaper food. What if there’s a global famine in 50 years or so. I want food security for our grandchildren’s generation. Let the anti GM people starve and gather wild berries. The rest of us can eat crops.
Is that why the EU has banned some of Monsanto chemicals because it stops bees from collecting pollen & is killing them off ?
Have you not seen the studies on the rats that eat only Monsanto sprayed chemical food ?
Food security ? Tell the EU to stop putting a cap on what can be used, like their law trying to make bananas more straight or odd shaped fruit being banned ?
Be prepared to see SOPA or ACTA like proposals being made core parts of this agreement. They have done it before with Canada.
Roll on the NWO
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