GP Card....cannot use on a Saturday.

S

SlurrySlump

Registered User
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I tried to use my GP card to visit my doctor on a Saturday only to be told that the GP card cannot be used on a Saturday and that I would have to pay the normal surgery fee.
Has this always been the case?

People get sick on a weekend, not just 9 to 5 Monday to Friday.
 
Very unusual to get a GP on Saturdays in my experience (none in my area have clinic times outside Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).

The doctor on call service (for out of hours consultations) does accept Medical and GP visit cards (see here for an example - https://www.nedoc.ie/patient-information/ )

If the doctor on call service accepts GP visit cards at night and weekends, I wonder if your GP has made a local rule for themselves and only sees private patients on Saturdays?
 
Maybe check with the HSE?
I think they're only contactable Monday to Friday though.

GP visit cards

With a GP visit card you don't have to pay to see your GP. There is a GP visit card for over 70s, under 8s and carers. Find out more at HSE.ie
www2.hse.ie
 
My GP used to do Saturday service but only for private patients no medical card accepted my son has one and we had to pay to use it. The DDOC service if you are in Dublin does accept medical cards as we used that previously. It is a bit strange I think but probably not the only surgery doing this.
 
It appears your doctor operates a clinic on Saturdays for private fee paying patients only. If you want to see your gp then you will have to pay. This weekend doctor in Dublin makes it very clear on their website that they treat private patients only.

Otherwise use a doctor on call service that accepts medical card patients or if you are very sick go to the ED.
 
POC said:
I really don't understand why you're complaining so much.
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I just wanted to know if the GP card is only a five day card and if the HSE is happy for doctors to charge a fee to patients for weekend attendance. Maybe this is a special arrangement between doctors and the HSE.

My own doctor takes a day off mid-week but works occasionally on a Saturday.
 
Our GP used to charge more at the weekend, not a massive amount but I didn’t think it was a big deal to do that. They also had a notice about no medical cards accepted at weekends as they used agency staff at weekends.

So I guess it is common.

If it’s an emergency then I guess it’s nearest hospital. Where I think they will see you for free if you have a medical card. Not certain of that.

Also caredoc or other out of hours services.
 
Doesn’t make sense to me either, but clarity on GP card re is it a five day card only would be good to receive from HSE, as it appears that GPs can make their own rules and if you can’t afford the 60+ cost you are out of luck. I don’t fancy your chances in out of hours in the Midwest or in The regional hospital. I hope it isn’t anything serious.
 

My wife has a GP card. Her doctor works 3 days a week. But the practice is open 5 days a week. She can make an appointment with her named doctor on her scheduled work days or attend one of the other doctors on the other days. Outside of that she can contact the out-of-hours service.

As it happens the practice does not open at all on a Saturday. But if one of the doctors decided to open for private (fee-paying) patients on a Saturday I cannot see anything wrong with that. The same as if they decided to go hang-gliding on a Saturday.
 
Why is a Saturday not treated like any other day?
 
I guess you should choose a doctor that has a 6 or 7 day practice for all patients then.

Maybe see if you can change if it’s important to you.

We picked a doctor partly because they were open evenings and weekends as we both work full time.
 
Persia said:
Any practices that I'm aware of are full and not open to new patients.

Not sure though if this is prevalent for most, just an observation.
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Very prevalent my observation also. if the person has GP only card, finances may be constrained. I go to walk in doctors or Leya, and have to have a portfolio of solutions. Walk in Docs charge 40 open, evenings, weekends thankfully many and have had to use them for years as their main GP. GP services here don't work on Saturday to my knowledge. Out of hours impossible to access. ED ER locally in hospital taking your life in your hands on Saturdays, widely publicised can’t be refuted at this stage. if you have an emergency or orthopaedic event, you may have to do surgery yourself. My experience.
 
Persia said:
Any practices that I'm aware of are full and not open to new patients.
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Near me a new GP practice is about to open and they have a banner advertising for new patients.

Seems to be plenty of GPs in training or just out of it. My own practice has three GPs under 35. They take new patients.

Maybe an urban/rural thing at work here.
 
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