Watchdog tells doctors to justify their charges
DOCTORS will have to justify their charges in a landmark investigation by the regulator.
Under a new ordinance approved by deputies last month, the Channel Islands Competition and Regulatory Authorities, upon the request of Commerce and Employment, can use investigatory powers to obtain information during market studies.
Cicra chief executive Andrew Riseley announced that the first study to be conducted under the new law would be one into primary health care.
The focus comes after Mr Riseley warned GPs in 2012 that they could be fined under the new competition law if they continued to fix prices.
He said it was Commerce and Employment's 'highest priority' in terms of market investigations.
'One of the things we do as part of our competition focus is to look at whether a market is delivering good outcomes for consumers or whether there are recommendations to be made as to how the market could get better,' he said.
