GP on Medical card

Gael23

I posted this on State Benefits but I think here might be better suited to my question.
I have a variety of medical question for which I see my GP every few months. I ha a great relationship with him and since I moved to him a few years ago things have been so much better thanks to what he has done for me.
I could possibly be moving to a different area in the near future but I dont want to have to stop seeing this doctor.
Is there a way on the medical card I can do this and still be able to see a doctor where im moving to im im sick, which was only once in the last year?

Grab All Association

You could stay with your own GP and in emergencies you can go to Shannon Doc/Care Doc etc

RobFowl

Chris___ wrote: »

You could stay with your own GP and in emergencies you can go to Shannon Doc/Care Doc etc

No you can't, Care Doc/Shannon Doc only cover the patients of their member GP's, if you have a different GP they will refer you to the OOH service of your own GP.
Also these are urgent OOH services not for routine problems.
If you are moving to a different area you really have to get a GP locally.

Gael23

RobFowl wrote: »

No you can't, Care Doc/Shannon Doc only cover the patients of their member GP's, if you have a different GP they will refer you to the OOH service of your own GP.
Also these are urgent OOH services not for routine problems.
If you are moving to a different area you really have to get a GP locally.

Some time ago I had to see a doctor at college in Limerick as I couldn't get home. All I had to do was sign a form and they sorted me out. Could this apply?

RobFowl

ryanf1 wrote: »

Some time ago I had to see a doctor at college in Limerick as I couldn't get home. All I had to do was sign a form and they sorted me out. Could this apply?

This applies for temporary residents and is only suitable for people visiting the area. Unfortunately you can only be registered with one GP at a time (on the medical card). The HSE do check up on this too and can contact you if this happens (especially if more than once).

Tree

ryanf1 wrote: »

Some time ago I had to see a doctor at college in Limerick as I couldn't get home. All I had to do was sign a form and they sorted me out. Could this apply?

You'll also find that emergency GP services like shannondoc/dubdoc won't see you if a college GP in the area is they only GP they have. You'll be sent to a GP that's open late or at w/e's instead.

Gael23

Tree wrote: »

You'll also find that emergency GP services like shannondoc/dubdoc won't see you if a college GP in the area is they only GP they have. You'll be sent to a GP that's open late or at w/e's instead.

On that occasion I was expecting to have to pay the consultation fee but when I was making the appointment the secretary asked me did I have a medical card. I said I did but I was a student and registered with a GP at home and then she said they would be able to see me under that and all I had to do was give her my card number and sign a form.
It was just a local practice that I found, not a specific college or out of hours service.

Brian2011

Just wondering can I visit any GP in my area with the Medical card.

I am assigned to a GP already in my local clinic but have never even used my medical card yet for GP visits. I have only used it twice for dental check ups to get a reduced rate of €50 instead of normal rate which is €80.

I have been told that there is a long waiting list for my assigned GP under the medical card and that it will be impossible to get an appointment with him quickly so can I see other GP's available in my local clinic for free?.

I'll find out anyway tomorrow, but handy to know in advance, Thanks

L1011

You should be able to see another GP in the same practice - there are places where there may be a health centre with multiple GPs who do not work in partnership together though. You can see other GPs in an emergency but not for regular appointments.

RobFowl

Threads merged

Gael23

Brian2011 wrote: »

Just wondering can I visit any GP in my area with the Medical card.

I am assigned to a GP already in my local clinic but have never even used my medical card yet for GP visits. I have only used it twice for dental check ups to get a reduced rate of €50 instead of normal rate which is €80.

I have been told that there is a long waiting list for my assigned GP under the medical card and that it will be impossible to get an appointment with him quickly so can I see other GP's available in my local clinic for free?.

I'll find out anyway tomorrow, but handy to know in advance, Thanks

Im not certain on this but my understanding is you can see any doctor in your registered practice. The name of the doctor that owns it is written in mine but i have never seen her as a patient.

Brian2011

ryanf1 wrote: »

Im not certain on this but my understanding is you can see any doctor in your registered practice. The name of the doctor that owns it is written in mine but i have never seen her as a patient.

You can go see any GP that is available, Thanks.

RobFowl

Brian2011 wrote: »

You can go see any GP that is available, Thanks.

You are completely correct. In a group practice that is the case.

echo beach

RobFowl wrote: »

You are completely correct. In a group practice that is the case.

Now that the single-handed GP is fairly rare and group practices are the norm is it not time the GMS system was changed to reflect this so that you don't register with an individual doctor any more?
We still have the same set-up as in the seventies. The world has changed but some things seem frozen in time.

L1011

echo beach wrote: »

Now that the single-handed GP is fairly rare and group practices are the norm is it not time the GMS system was changed to reflect this so that you don't register with an individual doctor any more?
We still have the same set-up as in the seventies. The world has changed but some things seem frozen in time.

Outside of Dublin the single-handed GP is extremely common still.

What's probably more common than setups where each GP in a practice has a GMS contract are practices with one list for more than one GP, or two/three lists for a large number - often leading to hysterics in the media and online about such and such GP being "paid" a large 6 figure sum in capitation when its clear that there are multiple GPs performing that work.

The system definitely needs to be sorted out to allow contracts/lists to be given to single handed GPs, group practices and Ltd companies behind group practices at that.

Gael23

MYOB wrote: »

Outside of Dublin the single-handed GP is extremely common still.

What's probably more common than setups where each GP in a practice has a GMS contract are practices with one list for more than one GP, or two/three lists for a large number - often leading to hysterics in the media and online about such and such GP being "paid" a large 6 figure sum in capitation when its clear that there are multiple GPs performing that work.

The system definitely needs to be sorted out to allow contracts/lists to be given to single handed GPs, group practices and Ltd companies behind group practices at that.

Where I go there is the doctor whos name is on my card and 2 other doctors. The name of the practice is her surname so I take it she owns the place. I assume they are just paid a salary but not sure.