The Government has been slammed by GPs for talking about bringing in free GP care but doing nothing to ensure this happens.

Junior Health Minsiter Alex White recently indicated that plans for initially introducing free GP care for children under five would be announced in October's budget.

Howwever, Dr Ray Walley, Chair of the IMO's GP Committee claimed said the Minister's comments lacked credibility as the Department of Health has still not attempted to discuss the issue with the IMO, which represents GPs. 

"The first plan was to bring in so-called free services for long-term illness patients; now that has shifted to services for under fives. There appears to be no rationale behind the decision making process. You can't simply wish for free GP care to happen and hope that it does."

Dr Walley said free GP care would represent a massive policy shift and would have huge implications for GPs across the country, who he said are already operating in a service starved of resources and at breaking point.

"The IMO would love to see properly funded GP services for patients young and old but the Government is actually going the other way; it is slashing funds for GP services even while they make promises about extending those services, " Dr Walley said.

"The Minister is well aware that such a fundamental change requires negotiation with GPs on a new contract. It is after all GPs who will have to deliver the service."

An added complication to the free GP care plan is the issue of whether or not GPs as independent contractors can under competition law, collectively negotiate fee rates. This issue is to be decided on in the High Court, probably early in the new year.

The court action follows a recent clash between the Competition Authority (CA) and the IMO on the issue of collective bargaining on behalf for GPs, which the CA claims is contrary to current competition law.

There are therefore unlikely to be any direct negotiations on fee rates or resourcing under free GP care until this legal issue is sorted out.