Medical Council take an obstinate and archaic stance on doctors fees

For the fourth year in a row, the Medical Council is attempting to increase the annual registration fee for doctors in Ireland. This latest increase will mean that doctors will have to pay €605 per annum — up 23% since 2012.

The Council has suggested that the latest increase is necessary because its role has expanded in recent years. No mention has been made of the underlying legacy issues that are of the Council’s own making, including the fact that they are tied into a long-term lease agreement for their property in Dublin 2 — Kingram House — and that they paid almost €1.1 million in rent and rates alone in 2013.

It would be far more appropriate for the Council to examine its own internal workings before approaching doctors for higher registration fees. According to its most recent annual report for example, more than €828,000 was paid by the Council in consultancy fees in 2013 and 2014 alone.

Furthermore, its CEO receives a salary of €136,000 per annum while its board members share expenses of over €96,000 per year. These same Council members and staff of the Council spent €266,174 last year alone on travel and subsistence — in sharp contrast to the salary of recently qualified doctors who receive just €38,839 per annum.

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has met with the Council and has offered a range of constructive suggestions on how this matter could be resolved. Unfortunately, the Council has dismissed every one of these suggestions and has stated that it will not compromise or consider any of the proposals offered, irrespective of the untold impact this will have on sick patients in an already dysfunctional health service.

Ireland is already struggling to maintain a sufficient medical workforce. It is therefore all the more disappointing that the Council, which holds itself up as being responsible for ensuring the highest standards of medical training and education in Ireland, has itself adopted this archaic, uncompromising and obstinate stance.

We would also refer to the recent dispute between our colleagues in the nursing profession and their own Nursing and Midwifery Board over an attempted hike in their registration fees from €100 to €150. Following vocal and sustained resistance by our nursing colleagues this increase was abolished.

If the Council are serious about patient safety and maintaining standards within the profession, then they should engage constructively with us to bring about a resolution to this matter.

IMO NCHD Committee

Fitzwilliam Place

Dublin 2