Doctors to get €40,000 each in new card deal

DOCTORS will eachreceive in excess of €40,000 if they accept a deal which will pave the way for treating 200,000 patients under a new limited medical card.

The payment, which applies to 2,000 GPs who treat medical card holders, includes €48.5 million due under two national wage agreements, was paid to other health service workers but withheld from GPs. It is part of a proposal issued yesterday by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) designed to end a long-running dispute between the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) and the Department of Health and health service managers.

The LRC has also recommended payment of a GP benchmark award of €35m. In addition, a one-off payment of €7m will be paid to GPs who sign up patients under the new doctor visit card scheme, equating to €35 per card. This offer extends only to the first 200,000 cards issued.