Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell, has welcomed the commencement of registration for free GP care for everyone aged 70 and over, as announced by the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar TD.
“I am pleased that every person aged 70 and over will have access to GP care without being charged. In order to avail of this, people over 70 must register either by entering their details online at www.gpvisitcard.ie, by downloading a registration form from this website, or by calling 1890 252 919 to request a copy of the form by post. Registration forms will also be made available in local health offices and pharmacies. People should note that persons over 70 who already hold a medical or GP visit card do not need to register.
“The roll-out of free GP care for those over 70 years of age signifies the next step in our move towards universal health care and, following this, both the eldest and youngest sections of our society will have access to GP care. This will result in savings and increased peace of mind for many over 70s in Dublin Fingal.
“Free GP care was a key Fine Gael election commitment and this is just a step along that road. Already this year we have introduced free GP care for under 6s. The provision of the free GP card to everyone over 70 is important in terms of facilitating access to our health system in order to get earlier diagnoses and prevent illness. This announcement will benefit many people over the age of 70 throughout the North County as they will now be able to focus on their health without having to worry about the cost of visiting a doctor.”