Right that GP fees are examined
CONFIRMATION by the Channel Islands Competition and Regulatory Authorities that they are to examine whether doctors' fees here are a form of anti-competitive cartel raises some wider implications.
CONFIRMATION by the Channel Islands Competition and Regulatory Authorities that they are to examine whether doctors' fees here are a form of anti-competitive cartel raises some wider implications.
The current uniformity of charges among what should be separate and competing business units poses the question of on what basis the fees were set: to suit the most inefficient practice, to guarantee the partners a certain income or even to deter patients from calling?
The point is that islanders simply don't know but the regulators' involvement suggests that however the scale is set, it is not with the interests of patients first in mind.
When NHS reforms in the UK led to some GPs there enjoying incomes in excess of £100,000 a year, there were immediate protests. Yet their colleagues in Guernsey enjoy salaries many times that level.
Calculations by the Guernsey Press suggest that each registered GP will bring in an average of more than £1m. a year in fees from which to meet overheads and salaries. That figure excludes any additional income from pharmacy and property interests and it is easy to see how £300,000 and £400,000 salaries are not uncommon.
For islanders, primary health care is an issue of quality, followed by cost.
Currently, there is no independent assessment made of the care provided. But the cost – which is an issue for many families – appears based on a cosy arrangement where it is in the financial interests of the medical centres to see as many individuals for as short a time as possible.
That, of course, is in total contrast to the Medical Specialist Group, whose professionals get paid regardless of how many referrals they get and who can also undertake more lucrative private work.
What will be interesting when the competition regulator starts his work is to what extent GP fees start to vary and what can be done to encourage that.
With fees having been fixed for so long, which practice will start to compete for patients on price as well as service?
And if none do, might an outside team of GPs be persuaded to do so?
