General practice in crisis

Sir, – Family doctors suffered disproportionately under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Fempi) legislation, with GP practices suffering cuts of up to 38 per cent. This was aligned with an increase in the number of medical card and GP-visit card patients to the tune of almost half the population. Under Fempi, GPs are paid as little as €43.29 per patient per annum. This payment covers all consultations, regardless of how often the patient visits.