Sir, – I refer to recent coverage of the under-six GP proposals.
As has been widely reported, it seems more than 70 per cent of colleagues across the State have accepted the contract to date.
However, a significant number of signatories have publicly stated their reservations about the new arrangements.
To this end, many doctors, when returning their signed under-six agreement, enclosed a letter of protest to the HSE, criticising the nature of the scheme and the financial pressure applied to GPs to secure their support.
Incredibly, the HSE responded by refusing to accept the contract unless the colleagues in question withdrew their comments.
Worse still, I am reliably informed that many GPs have now been told they must compose a letter of “retraction”, effectively denouncing their own views, before being accepted onto the under-six scheme.
Truly this represents a new low in Irish medical politics. It appears that for our leaders it is not enough to merely persuade many GPs to sign up for under-six care, but those with genuine concerns must also be humiliated in writing.
What next? Will all colleagues be required to sign an oath of allegiance to the Government in order to treat patients? Perhaps every GP should be compelled to declare their intention to vote for Fine Gael or Labour in the next election as a demonstration of their loyalty to official health policy?
I believe this sinister development represents not only an attack on medical independence, it is also a direct assault on the basic principles of freedom of expression and the right to protest that are cornerstones of our democracy.
The Minister for Health must immediately intervene and put a stop to this madness. An apology would also be appropriate. – Yours, etc, Dr RUAIRI HANLEY MICGP Navan, Co Meath.