Yesterday's Oireachtas Committee report on the future of healthcare in Ireland has promised, among other things, free GP care for all.
Is this a good idea? Dr. Ruairi Hanley doesn't think so.
"This is probably the worst idea since the banking guarantee," he told us on The Last Word's weekly healthcare slot.
"The first rule of being a doctor is, don't make the patient worse. The first rule of being a politician should be, don't make the health service worse. If we grant free GP care to everyone, the result would be carnage."
Ruairi believes a certain number of free GP visits a year is reasonable, but that there are not enough GPs in Ireland to sustain it. Some are approaching retirement, many are currently part-time and huge numbers are emigrating.
He compared the situation to the UK, where GP visits are free, but people often have to wait two or three weeks for an appointment. He also pointed out that, in Ireland, many people have medical cards and so don't have to pay for doctor's visits anyway.
Ruairi thinks the impact on GPs would be disastrous.
"Not only will you create epic waiting lists, you're going to financially cripple the health system."
