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Poll: Have you ever avoided going to a GP because of the cost involved?

* Please note that the results of the online poll represent just a snapshot of opinion from the site members who participate. The results of each poll do not necessarily represent the national picture. Participants are only allowed to vote once in each poll.

Anonymous   Posted: 26/09/2005 12:16

I have delayed going to Dr. because of cost which usually makes any condition worse.Try to treat myself but in the end I usually have to see the Dr.Every time I go which is very infrequent the cost seems to have gone up.

Ann(GNC19002)  Posted: 26/09/2005 18:51

i usually wait until i absoluteky have to go, also if one of my four children have an infection it can mean seperate trips over a week or two for us all to receive treatment as children can be very inconvenient in that they don't all get ill together!!!!

Anonymous   Posted: 26/09/2005 22:55

I have a condition, which the doctor needs to check every couple of weeks but, because of the costs each time, I skip a few weeks every time so that I will be able to afford his fee. My neighbour cannot afford to go but he really should. It will be too late when he can afford it.

Anonymous   Posted: 27/09/2005 01:23

The cost of doctors is very scary and is easily the cause of some deaths. Prescriptions that are needed on a regular basis should surely be free. People with large families haven't got a hope of getting proper treatment and have to fight colds and flues themselves. Doctors need to be fairer to people and cut their prices to at least half!

Anonymous   Posted: 27/09/2005 13:51

I have often put off going to the GP because of cost I am on medication because of asthma and to be honest I don\'t take it very regularly even though I am suppose to take it every day as I just can\'t afford to replace, it cost €75 for one month, but because I don\'t take it regularly I only have to get every 3 or 4 months. But because of this I am limited in what I can do at times. But what can I do. €40 to GP then €75 on medication, who could afford that all the time. I have a bad back also and have to pay €40 regularly to a physio. On top of this I have anti inflammatory pills for my back and gels also. So the costs can be very great. So mostly I just put up with it, when I should get help.

Anonymous   Posted: 27/09/2005 15:00

To last post: I hope you know that you can claim tax relief on some of those expenses for medical purposes.

Anonymous   Posted: 27/09/2005 16:19

I do all the time! I need to keep the money in case any of my 3 children get sick or need medicines.

Anonymous   Posted: 27/09/2005 17:22

I know you can claim back some tax, but that still doesn't make it affordable. You have to wait to claim back tax until the end of the year. I don't think a doctor will wait until then to be paid or the chemist for that matter. For some people things are very tight. Everything can go along nicely until your 2 children get sick one week and one week later you get sick. Then the following week someone has to go to the dentist. By the end of the month the money just isn't there to pay the mortgage and get your medication.

Anonymous   Posted: 28/09/2005 12:24

Agreed - it is so difficult to have the ready cash to pay for these necessary expenses, but at least you know to claim your rights at the end of the year. Many do not know or do this.

Anonymous   Posted: 28/09/2005 22:06

Yes I would avoid going to Doctor. I have two children one with asthma and eczema and his medication costs approx 75 euro every month, If he needs a doctor as well it costs 55 euro per visit but because i delay the visit i usually end up bringing him twice or three times. Because we work we don't have a medical card or any help from the health board. It is not from lack of trying we don't qualify because we work, my partner full time, myself part time.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 12:08

Last year within a week, both myself, 2 kids and husband had to attend the doctor separtely. This cost rougly €190 and prescription on top of this. Surely doctors should reduce their costs when a situation like this occurs ???

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 12:11

Two and a half year old daughter got something stuck up her nose yesterday. Phoned GP (female) at 12.00, to be told - as usual - that she's not on duty, and the earliest her locum or any doctor in the surgery could see her was 3pm. Went down at 3pm, left waiting for 35 minutes. Locum doctor (foreign, limited English) had a look, said it would need to be removed with a special tweezers, shuffled through half a dozen drawers looking for such a device, before announcing that he couldn't do it and we'd have to take her right across town to Tallaght Children's A and E. And he said to be sure to be there before 5pm!! And then he charged 50 euros for telling us he couldn't do anything. Were eventually seen by a very young and very tired female doctor, probably an intern. She was calm and had the obstruction safely removed inside five minutes, assisted only by the mother holding a small torch. Well done Tallaght Children's A and E ! As for our local GPs, well first advice is if your GP is a woman and is 'part time', change doctors. 'Part time' GP care is useless, unless your child is considerate enough to only need medical attention during the 10-15 hours in the week that these doctors actually work. And as for house calls, forget it! With such short hours, there's no chance they'll actually break from the golden treadmill of earning 50 euros every 5-7 minutes to actually go and see a patient too sick to attend. What's really scary is that with the majority of medical students and young doctors now female, in a short while, you can forget about the old fashioned 'continuity of care' idea and instead look forward to being palmed from locum to locum (most of whom are fine doctors, but know zero about you and your family). For this non-service you and I are expected to pay the equivalent of around 500 euros per hour. Anyone got a number for Eddie Hobbs?

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 12:20

I have four children and there have been times especially in winter that they might pass an infection from one to another thus having to make up to three trips to the doctor in one week and having to pay €45 three times plus medicine. This can haapen a few times over the course of a year. Very expensive for a family plus having to pay for private health insurance.

Bill(WGU33761)  Posted: 29/09/2005 12:43

I haven't been for nearly two years. Was given a prescription which lasted 6-months but couldn't be bothered to go back for another appointment charge and renewal - plus the prescription charge. Yes, I could claim something back eventually but it is a load of hassle. €40 for 5-10 minutes is a crazy amount - it is not value for money and then I have to fork out again for the prescription. I'm sure we'd all like to 'earn' that kind of money, then we could afford doctors. Pharmacists should be able to dispense prescriptions, especially if you've had the stuff before.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 13:09

I am a doctor(female and working part time, I'm afraid!). I do sessions for a women's health clinic. We charge the same fee as most GPs. Patients returning for review of a current problem are generally charged a reduced fee. Plus, the minimum time allocated per patient is 15mins. I know that's a luxury most busy GP practices can't afford, but more patients means more money. Seems to me more money for the doctor but less service for the patient. I find it embarrassing when I hear stories such as the one of the child with something up its nose. If the GP couldn't sort it out and provided no help at all, they had some neck charging. How on earth did they justify that?

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 13:13

Yes, I avoid going all the time as I cannot just afford to pay €45.00 for a prescription. I go to the chemist usually and see what they will give me.

Gerard(ZAE33782)  Posted: 29/09/2005 14:24

GP's are nothing but glorified nurses at the present time, 90% of the time they will take your money and refer you to a CONSULTANT (more money for the boys. They in-turn will send their findings back to your GP who in turn will charge you again.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 14:35

I usually ask the local pharmacist first for some advice before going to the doctor. They will tell you of course to go to the doctor if you are not improving in a day or 2. They are very reliable and very helpful, with many ailments.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 14:50

yes i have as i have child and i am single mother, trying to pay mortagage, both me and my son have health problem, son has asthmsa and i have tyroid glades problems. I have to be very limit on inhaler and tablets that we are both on as cost is very high, plus docotrs expense

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 15:22

doctors are too dear to be going fro everything wefind wrong with us so i usually dont go at all because of the cost. prices should be reduced. its not fair that we all dont have medical cards when most people are given them for nothing

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 15:58

I would leave going until I had to actually take time off work. My local GP charges €45. It's ridiculous. I can understand if they had to do something but most of the time they just write a prescription and send you to the pharmacy, where you have to spend even more money. I'm thinking of joining one of those companies that give you cash back for things like that, like HSA.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 16:02

I used to avoid it, I make more of an effort now cause I have a cashplan that pays money towards the GP fees, and prescriptions as well. Get half my money back so that eases the pain a bit. Definatly worth it if you have kids.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 16:39

Its a sad siuation, we are in , when our closest neighbours in Northern Ireland and the U K have a completely free acces system to GP's irrespective of income and all of our other EU-25 partners and Norway have a free health system at point of access ( correct me if this wrong ? ). In France not only are the GPs cheaper per visit but all costs are fully refundable to the patients irrespective of their income and financial status. Surely as a country we can at least implement this basic level of health for all or families and inhabitants .

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 16:59

I think that people run to the doctor for every little thing. They would be far better off to wait and let the body heal itself instead of being loaded with antibiotics, which do more harm than good in the long term. Of course the GPs will never give this advice as it will affect their income.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 21:18

My family often avoid going to the dr because of the cost. My husband and I both have chronic illnesses but dont have a medical card. If I go to the dr. for myself and three children I am charged 4 x €54, no reduction. My husband has a good job in the financial services but who can afford this.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/09/2005 22:29

I often put off going to the doctor because of cost and have ended up in hospital because I can't afford the cost of preventer inhalers. I always end up taking way too much of my reliever. As I have three children who of course take priority my partner and I rarely can afford to get the treatment we need ourselves, nor can we afford health insurance. We are fortunate that if we required attention or medication urgently we know we could rely on the goodwill of our G.P. and pharmacist. To the last poster, I agree with you on the over-use of antibiotics and the greed of some G.P.s but not all put income before patients well-being. Most are extremely overstretched and simply do not have the time to work out good health improvement/management plans with patients. As with other industries G.P.s are putting up their prices because of rising costs of insurance, heat etc. We're all on the same side, its important to focus on how the resources available can best be distributed. It is the management of the system that needs to be looked at.

Anonymous   Posted: 30/09/2005 09:46

I do avoid going to the GP because of cost. Unfortunately I have to go every six month for a re-prescription for the contraceptive pill... A typical visit for this would be: the doctor asks if I'm having any problems, I say no, doctor takes blood pressure, all is well, doctor writes prescription and I leave after less than two minutes to pay €45. Why? I have also increasingly found that the GP (with the exception of prescribing anti-biotics for the flu) is in the habit of diagnosing and then referring to another doctor where additional costs are incurred. It's a case of paying €45 to find out whats wrong and an additional €45 to get treated by 'the expert'. Why can't I go straight to the expert?

Anonymous   Posted: 30/09/2005 10:28

I put it off and try OTC medication usually, Then end up far worse, needing eitherthe GP or emergency treatment and thus end up on a double dose of antibiotics. I can't avoide the GP for long terms meds (I'm hypothyroid) or contraception tho'.

Anonymous   Posted: 30/09/2005 13:48

I always avoid going to the GP unless I absolutely need to. Over the 40 years I have been in this country, I have only found one to be on the ball and extremely helpful. Unfortunately he lives too far from where I live. I found most GPs I have gone to over the years rather incompetent and highly dismissive (even neglectful with fatal consequences in cases I know). This also the impression of many foreign students I have had in my home. A beautician from the Ukraine recently told me that doctors in her country were far better in terms of standards and care. She thought medicine was not very good in this country. I also resent GPs only allowing you to come with a single complaint, if you have more you have to come back (another €45 each time...). For anything other than minor ailments I go back to Belgium and avail of medical services there. The care is second to none, and GP visits only cost €22.00 per visit, which can last for half an hour. Specialist visits cost €114.00 for a full hour of tests. There is simply no comparison. I don't think medicine should be a commodity to be put on the market. Too many lives depend on it. God help the Irish if bird flu comes along. Doctors will certainly want to keep their profit margins even if people's lives are at stake. Long live low-cost carriers that allow people to avail of affordable medical care when necessary. Ireland still has a long, long, long way to go.... It would be interesting to have a comparison of costs per visit (GPs, dentists, specialists) done on a Europe-wide basis. I'd say Ireland would easily fare the worst.

Anonymous   Posted: 30/09/2005 22:19

Interesting that some of you mention contraception. My husband and I now use condoms, solely because I don't want to have to visit my GP on a six monthly basis and fork out €45 for a prescription and then pay for the pill on top of that. Madness. If you have been on the pill for a reasonable length of time, surely a pharmacist who has trained for a long number of years can check your blood pressure and ask you are you having any problems, without you having to go to your GP. Surely we are all adult enough to go to our GPs if we are having difficulties with the pill. For God's sake they try to take everything off the market, e.g. vitamins, without prescription, then when you do go to them for this magically prescription, they groan at you as if you are an imposition and then charge you €45 or €50. If we are such an imposition, then just let us have our vitamins without all the bloody hassle. They want total control, but not total responsibility. You can't have it both ways. As far as I can see, they want to get paid for as much as possible, without actually doing any work or seeing any patients.

liam(lcollins)  Posted: 01/10/2005 00:36

All doctors like icing, they all have a sweet tooth, not only do they like to have their cake and eat it, they like to eat everyone elses cake and eat it too. I don\'t think the service is up to scratch and you should be able to demand a refund for unused minutes.

Anonymous   Posted: 02/10/2005 22:23

I think if i got 45 to 50 euro for ten minutes, I would be rich

Monica(JWD27011)  Posted: 03/10/2005 00:11

Yes at €50 per visit for 5-10 minutes I hesitate definitely before going to doctor in this country. The charges are appaling.Another case of rip off republic. In France for example, another EU country a visit to the doctor is €18-20 and unlike here a two-tier system does not exist. Everyone regardless of status pay this amount. This is a disgraceful country regarding our healthcare system.

Anonymous   Posted: 03/10/2005 09:09

I avoid going to the gp unless its completely necessary as its €75 for a visit, no matter what the reason. I have to go twice a year for repeat ocp prescription and only go once a year as its too expensive. Like others I feel that you should get a reduced fee for recurrent/similar attendances.

liam(lcollins)  Posted: 04/10/2005 00:43

your GP is the tradesman in your health relationship. if the GP does not deliver the goods then you should not have to pay for them. argue out the price and offer a realistic price instead.

Anonymous   Posted: 05/10/2005 17:19

I have so many issues with GPs I dont know where to start - useless for anything not involving a prescription - for structural/muscular things go straight to a physio who\'ll identify problem and give you exercises to fix problem at source - You cant see a GP now in my area without an appointment - Northern Ireland GPs are free - We\'re already paying 10+billion on health through taxes, then god knows how many billion straight to the doctors. Moving off topic here - While the administration of the health services may be inept the main beneficiaries in financial terms of this ineptitude are doctors both gps and consultants - one of the bottlenecks in the public health services is in getting appointments/service from public consultants. No bottleneck getting to see the same consultant in a private capacity, in many cases on a public facility. Surely this is a case of taking your 150,000 for granted as a retainer and leveraging your position to maximise private income.

Anonymous   Posted: 06/10/2005 11:01

That's unbelieveable that you cant see a GP now in my area without an appointment. Are you supposed to know in advance when you're going to be sick and book the appointment for then? Ridiculous. No wonder our A&E's are clogged.

captain  Posted: 11/10/2005 10:38

Yes, after being used to the NHS in the UK it came as something of a shock when I had to pay 40 Euro for a 5 minute consultation

dwan  Posted: 12/10/2005 11:23

Would like to ask anonymous posted 29/9/05 at 16.02 about this Cashplan she has the cost and how it works.

Anonymous   Posted: 13/10/2005 15:44

Yes I have, as I'm asthmatic and suffer from chest infections, luckily my doctor will give me a prescription based on the symptoms I give him over the phone, as I've had asthma for 20 years and recognise the signs

Leggs  Posted: 13/10/2005 16:51

I understand that it is expensive but there are ways of getting this money back. Firstly, there the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS). Once you pay over €70 per month, the rest is free. Secondly, there is a form you can get from the revenue (www.revenue.ie) MED 1 Form. You are liable for the first €125 per annum but any medical expenses after that - doctors/consultants fees, prescriptions, etc, you can claim taxrelief on. Every bit helps!!! After all, we are entitled to it

Anonymous   Posted: 13/10/2005 18:50

It is good that we can claim back some of the monies paid out, but very many on low incomes, don't pay enough tax in the first place to get back a lot of what they have paid, to their GP. With regard to the Drugs Repayment Scheme, €70 is a lot of money to have to pay out, especially if you have to spend it every month. Again it is a case of those who are on low incomes and who earn a little bit above the cut off points for most schemes, lose out. They lose out constantly and it is extremely unfair. There are so many people who are like this. My dentist called many of these people the third level poor, as they were people with third level qualifications, married with a number of children, crippled by a large mortgage and even though the appear to earn an adequate salary, when you add up their expenses, there are just surviving month to month.

Anonymous   Posted: 14/10/2005 09:34

Leggs and 18.50, the DPS is now €85 per month (I remembr a time when it was 45 pounds and that was only 5 years ago. I have to agree with your dentist tho' about the 3rd level poor. I appear to have a good salary, but by the time the the mortgage goes out and the household bills (ESB, phone, heating oil, refuse charges ec.) and I pay for petrol and food, thee is in reality ery little left. Nowadays I find myself scrimping to a little by every month in order to save for dental and opticians visits, which SHOULD be basic neccessities.

Anonymous   Posted: 14/10/2005 16:49

Having brought my daughter to the GP yesterday and being charged the new fee of €59 I am outraged. How many people can really afford this?

unhappy  Posted: 12/12/2005 16:55

I went to my doctor recently where i have not got my period since august 2005 and im not pregnant, i had four visits costing me 45euro each visit and medication on top of that. My doctor sent away blood to be tested and it all came back ok , so i was told after spending all that money "its just one of those things" and have still not got a period and dont know if something is seriously wrong , doctors just want the money and couldnt care less about person handing it out...

Miryam  Posted: 13/12/2005 08:25

Unhappy, in my experience forget the GP unless she is also a gynacologist and has years of experience in gynacological problems Go to your local Well woman or Everywoman clicnic. They are in my experiecne, brilliant at dealing with this kind of thing. Interestingly - I have the opposite problem to you. Since having a hormone shift, on the coil, I'm not getting a period every 13 days!!! A couple of ideas. - Are you exercising or dieting very strenously? This can cause periods to stop - Are you a vegetarian or vegan. Being starved of iron an also cause this. - Are you over 45? and therefore likely to be starting an early menopuse? - Have you switched contraceptives lately? - Are you a very light person, weihging less that 7 and half stone?

Cleeby  Posted: 13/12/2005 23:06

Slightly shocked to see a poster on this poll complaining about their 'part-time' female GP! Is it that she's a woman or that she has to work more than one clinic/job/area that annoys you so much? Anyway, it mostly annoyed me because I have a female GP who is extremely competent, thorough and patient- I have nothing but respect for her and the way she does her job. Medicine is often seen as 'the job' to be in in order to earn the big bucks, but come on! Hands up who'd volunteer for that kind of training/work/schedule? I know I wouldn't be able for it... I expected to be very much on the 'yes' side of this debate as I spent seven and a half hours in Casualty yesterday (1 x-ray, 2 blood tests) without ever seeing a bed/trolly/stretcher and withotu anyone figuring out WHY I had chest pain and shortness of breath. Yes, seven hours is a long time- but in fairness everyone there was working themselves into the ground and somehow managing to be pleasant and cheerful into the bargain. Doctors, nurses and all support staff deserve far more respect than they get in this country. Medicine as a career is NOT an easy option. So yes, I've avoided going to my GP because I just can't afford it but I now fully understand why health ministers etc advocate GPs and Doctor-on-Call services over going straight to Casualty- it's not somewhere you want to be unless it's absolutely nesscessary. Thanks.

Anonymous   Posted: 14/12/2005 12:37

I have returned to live in Ireland to be with my family. I have two children and a husband. I dread getting ill and ever needing a doctor and what will I do if the children need medical care. I didn't appreciate the NHS living in England. Getting ill in Ireland is an expensive business, no wonder getting help from your doctor is avoided, So many people are dying younger here, also there is so much cancer around, why is that? I wish to never get ill and if I do let it be when i'm in England visiting family.

fifi  Posted: 14/12/2005 16:35

Gerard, you refer to GPs as being "glorified nurses" as if this is some sort of insult. I am not a nurse but I know that nurses are highly trained professionals who complete a four year honours degree. For nurses, their chosen profession is more of a vocation as opposed to something their mummy & daddy coaxes them into like doctors. Also, nowadays more & more mature students are training to be nurses & I think this is a great thing. Individuals have had time & space & experience to finally chose what they really want to do for the rest of their lives unlike doctors who went straight into Uni as spotty faced privilged teenagers.

mareo  Posted: 13/03/2006 17:22

asthma should be covered under the medical card scheme, as it is acontinuing ailment and expensive to keep under control. I spemt 1ooe on two visits to the doctor last week, and still had to go to local a/e to be treated, as doctor was treating me for heart problem, despite my having a history of asthma. he should have checked me for asthma attack also.

mareo  Posted: 15/03/2006 15:35

yes. years ago when money was tight. Thank God things are better now, and I dont hesitate. als my husband insists! pity those who are short of cash. e50 for doctor, ar e100 hospital visit. what do we pay nat. health stamps for?. mareo

Mary  Posted: 15/03/2006 16:48

I agree - what's our tax and PRSI for? Not sure where you're locate Mareo but the standard charge for an A&E visit here (Leinster) is €55 if you're not referred by your GP.

Dolly  Posted: 12/04/2006 00:25

Yes, many times! 45 euro for a blood test, 50 euro for a smear! What next!

Braylady  Posted: 12/04/2006 11:58

If it's something like a bad cold, I wiull put it off in the hope that it will bet better with OTC remedies but I would never put off treatment for an injur as this will not get better on it's own and I would not under any circumstances, put off tests such as smear's MRI's or mammograms as these could literally save your life.

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