Watchdog says GP prices to fall as advertising restrictions lifted

VISITING the doctor could cost less now the Competition Authority has persuaded the Medical Council to lift restrictions on advertising by GPs.

With GPs now free to advertise their services and prices, the authority is hopeful the move will lead to greater price competition.

The authority points out the cost of visiting a GP has risen almost three times as fast as the general level of inflation.

Between January 2000 and August 2009, the Consumer Price Index rose by 30% while the price index for doctors’ fees rose by 87%.

The authority says there are indications that a substantial number of private patients are delaying GP visits due to the cost and shopping around for cheaper consultation fees.

Up until now GPs were not allowed to distribute flyers or take out large newspaper advertisements.

The authority believes that, if GPs respond to the development, patients should start to see more information about the services available to them and how much they can expect to pay.

The Irish College of General Practitioners said the question of pricing was not a matter for the college but believes more clarification was needed on the way prices are promoted or advertised.

“The college will be addressing this aspect with the Medical Council and others as appropriate,” said ICGP chairman, Dr Mark Walsh.

The authority has also identified a bottleneck in GP training which is contributing to the shortage of GP services.

There are an estimated 2,800 doctors working as GPs in Ireland and the number is relatively low by international standards.

Ireland has only 60% of the number GPs per thousand population compared to Germany or the US and only about two-thirds the number of most continental European countries.

“Increasing the supply of GPs quickly and raising awareness of the services available and their prices should go some way towards improving access to GP services,” said Declan Purcell, director of the authority’s advocacy division.

Currently, doctors wishing to become GPs must undertake four years of specialised training in addition to their medical degree; two years’ hospital training and two years’ training in a GP practice.

GP training programmes do not recognise previous hospital training and experience and some GP trainees end up repeating certain training

The authority has recommended that doctors who have relevant experience should, subject to a short orientation course, be allowed proceed immediately to the two years' training in a general practice.

It believes the change will result in more GPs being trained as quickly and as cheaply as possible and help alleviate predicted shortages in GP services.

The authority is also looking at the impact of the General Medical Services scheme and their report on the issue will be published next year.