The phased introduction of free GP care for everyone was mentioned in the current programme for Government – but it has been very slow progress so far.
We wrote about Free GP Visits back in April 2012 – when it was expected to begin in the summer of 2012 .
Finally in Budget 2014 it was announced that the goverment plan to introduce free GP care for children “age 5 and under” . (Although some of the documents refer to Under 5’s)
The free GP visits will not be available until at least the middle of 2014 , as legislation will be required. Some more information here.
The Government origianlly promised that free GP care for the entire population will be introduced by 2015. However, it was earlier this year forced to abandon a plan to extend free GP care initially on illness grounds, due to legal difficulties.
GP groups have said they can’t take on additional patients under free GP care, unless they are properly resourced to do so.