Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this long awaited Bill which will, among other technical provisions, allow the Irish State to provide free GP care to the most vulnerable age groups in our society, namely every single child in the State who is aged under six years and those persons over the age of 70 years. The Bill represents the first steps by the Government to introduce a free universal GP service for our citizens, which I warmly welcome.

This proposed service for the under sixes will be combined with a similar service being offered to people over the age of 70. From this summer, the Bill will cater for more than 250,000 people who would usually have to pay to see their GPs. It will cost the State over €67 million to provide this service. However, this figure will actually help to bring down costs in the health budget, which must be welcomed.

The commencement of this new GP service will make a real difference to the lives of the youngest and the oldest in our society and for the families who care for them. I believe that this agreement is a major step forward in improving access to and the quality and affordability of health care in Ireland. It will mean real savings for pensioners and for the families of young children but, as the Minister, Deputy Varadkar has stated, it is about much more than that. These two initiatives are part of the Government's wider plan to enhance the primary care system in this country, while also achieving real savings in the health budget. Removing the cost barrier and allowing all children and elderly people free access to a GP means earlier diagnosis which is more beneficial for families and patients alike. This service will also make our health service more economical in the long term as it will keep more people out of our hospitals, thus reducing the pressure on beds. It will oversee the beginning of the process of pumping money back into the general practice system once again. This is an important aspect which has resulted in the support for the Bill from the IMO.

This new enhanced GP service covers all children under six and people over 70, including those who already have medical cards. However, along with providing a free GP service, it will also include age-based preventative medical checks focusing on the health and well-being of the patient and the prevention of disease before it occurs.

The proposed new system also includes an agreed cycle of care for asthma patients, in which GPs will carry out annual reviews of a patient's symptoms in order to gauge the development of the disorder.

Approximately 50,000 people with a medical card or a GP visit card are expected to further benefit from the type 2 diabetes care plan, under which those who hold a medical card or a GP-only card will be entitled to two visits a year to their GP. That means that they will have their condition managed by the GP who knows them personally, rather than in a hospital clinic, which is preferable to the patient in most cases.

GPs play a crucial role. They act as a gateway to the entire health system. The patient-centred GP approach guides the patient through the referral process and into the health care system. It is widely considered that a well developed system of primary care has beneficial effects on the health care system as a whole. The Bill ultimately seeks to improve the role of the GP. It is important to note that, even when the national economy was in a healthy position, a universal, patient-oriented GP service such as has been initiated in the Bill was never considered important enough for consideration by previous Governments. The fact that it is being introduced now, as we emerge from one of the most difficult economic crises in our history, shows the Government's commitment to reforming the health service and improving the quality of care provided for patients.

I am fully supportive of the proposed legislation. As legislators, w must stand up for the most vulnerable in society. Therefore, I have no hesitation in supporting the Bill and call on Members on all sides of the House to put party principles aside and support it. It has taken a great deal of time and effort to get it onto the floor of the House. I commend the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar; the representatives of the GPs who have agreed to the proposals and officials at the Department of Health for the work put into the Bill to get it this far. I look forward to its speedy implementation.

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