Pro-bono services outside the GMS contract are being provided by more than three-quarters of GPs. Blood testing, warfarin monitoring and the management of chronic diseases is being carried out for free for medical card holders by 76 per cent of GPs.
The latest survey of GPs by IMT found 89 per cent offer blood testing, 76 per cent do warfarin monitoring and 93 per cent manage chronic diseases.
Another quarter of GPs (25 per cent) said they were offering ‘other’ services – as well as blood testing, warfarin monitoring and management of chronic diseases in some cases.
These include methadone monitoring, minor surgery, antenatal care, smear tests, ear syringing, smoking cessation clinics, counselling, phlebotomy for haemochromatosis patients, immunisations and spirometry – among many other services.
One GP summed it up by saying ‘everything the GMS patient wants, they get’. “We are charging GMS patients nothing for everything,” said another. However, some GPs said they were currently reviewing what they offered because of recent cuts of eight per cent on most fees and allowances paid to GPs in respect of medical card holders, GP-visit card holders, the Mother and Infant Care Scheme and the Primary Childhood Immunisation Scheme.
One hundred GPs selected at random from across the country were polled for their opinions.
About Greg Baxter
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