Media excluded from GP meeting on under-6s contract

GP members of the Irish Medical Organisation are meeting in Kilkenny today to discuss the Government's long- planned scheme for free GP care for children aged under six, due to come into effect in July.

The media have been excluded from the meeting, at which outgoing GP committee chairman Ray Walley will make a presentation on the details of the deal.

This is the first time family doctors have had the chance to ask questions on the agreement and indicate their view of it.

Reporters will be allowed to attend a later section of the meeting when Minister for Health Leo Varadkar makes a presentation on the agreement.

About 270,000 children stand to benefit from the agreement between the Government and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO).

The scheme will provide for a new “cycle of care” for children with asthma. This will involve structured visits, education of children and parents, medicine and inhaler technique reviews and an individualised asthma plan for parents.

All children will receive two “wellness” checks, at ages two and five, to monitor height and weight.