Cost of GP appointments reduced by £10

Friday, 17 May 2024 11:05

The government is rolling out more subsidies, meaning islanders will get cheaper GP appointments.

The cost of GP visits will be reduced by £10, from Monday 20 May.

This reduction applies to face-to-face appointments, surgery consultations and home visits.

It does not apply to non-GP practitioners, remote consultations and out-of-hours services.

Islanders are now receiving an overall subsidy of £50.28 towards their GP appointments, with the latest increase funded by the Health Insurance Fund.

This follows a previous cost reduction of £20 and the rollout of giving GPs an additional £5 per appointment from the government to help with the rising cost of running the business.

Deputy Lyndsay Feltham

The Minister for Social Security, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham hopes the cost reduction will ease the financial pressures islanders are facing:

"We are hoping the reduction in fees will enable more islanders to feel it is easier for them to access their GP

"People have been thinking twice about going to visit their GP, leaving it longer to go as well.

"So what we're trying to encourage people to do through reducing the cost, is to encourage people to see their GP when they need to see their GP so that they can remain fit and healthy.

"We also hope that this will prevent some longer-term health issues."