Minister urged to scrap sick cert payments as doctors net €30m

CALLS have been made to stop doctors being paid €8.25 to sign social welfare application forms for workers looking for sick certificates.

Last year €30 million was paid by the Department of Social Protection primarily to GPs and hospital interns who issued medical certificates for employees.

These forms were issued to workers who had been out sick for more than three days, thus allowing employers to claim back a portion of their wages.