Doctor visits set to rise €10 this year - survey

Private patients will find visiting their family doctor this year up to €10 more expensive than last year, according to a new survey of GPs.

Almost half of the family doctors now charge between €40 and €49 for a consultation, the study found.

The vast majority of surgeries charged between €30 and €49 per visit, with only 6.6 per cent charging less than that. This is down from 10 per cent since last year. Just under 5 per cent of family doctors charged over €50.

The survey, by the Irish Medical Times,found that practices outside the capital were, in general cheaper, although one inner-city Dublin surgery was charging just €25.

Dr James Reilly, president of the Irish Medical Organisation, said he believed most GPs would have raised their fees by approximately €5, in the context of annual medical inflation of 9 to 11 per cent.

He said there was a wide variation in the burden of background costs faced by GPs. Some were working on their own, while others practice in medical centres with support staff.

The survey also showed that the profession is split down the middle in its response to the new doctor-only medical cards to be introduced by the Minister for Health Ms Harney in the Budget.

More than 41 per cent are opposed to the plan and a further 8 per cent are undecided with the remainder in favour.

The results of the study were based on the results of a telephone survey of 61 rural and urban GPs.