IMO urges doctors not to pay new Medical Council fee

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has urged doctors not to pay a proposed 13 per cent increase in the annual retention fee levied by the Medical Council.

The Medical Council’s retention fee for the year is scheduled to rise from €535 to €605.

IMO director of industrial relations Steve Tweed said there was no justification for the increase.

Mr Tweed said the retention fee had increased by 23 per cent over the last three years, at a time when doctors had seen their earnings reduced as a result of Government financial emergency legislation, the Haddington Road Agreement and cutbacks in overtime.

He said that, under the new Lansdowne Road Agreement on public service pay, nurses and other healthcare professionals would see the annual fees levied by their regulatory bodies frozen until 2018.

Mr Tweed said the IMO had told the Department of Health that doctors were being treated less favourably then other public service groups.

Earlier this year, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) organised a successful campaign against moves by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland to increase its annual registration fee to €150.

Mr Tweed said the Medical Council had recorded a financial surplus of €1.6 million last year and had seen a reduction in its legal costs and total expenses .

He said that the council had also seen its net funds rise to €13.5 million.

Medical Council

A spokeswoman for the Medical Council said that, as well as enhanced registration requirements and expectations, its role has expanded in recent years.

She said that, under this increased mandate, the council now had greater oversight of medical education and training, and an increased remit in registration.

“Under legislation, the Medical Council’s revenue diversification options are restricted and the council must derive the vast majority of its income from doctors’ registration fees.”

“The council has run a deficit each year between 2010 and 2013, and while there was a modest surplus in 2014, an increase in fees is the only method open to the council to ensure its future financial viability.

“The council has engaged in rigorous financial planning and has undertaken cost-cutting programmes in order to address financial deficits.

“Legal costs were reduced by 24 per cent in 2014, and general administration costs were reduced by 10 per cent year on year.

“In the interests of full transparency and accountability, the annual report outlines to all doctors the council’s full expenditure in considerable detail.”

The spokeswoman said the council was acutely aware of the financial burden the “unavoidable” fee increase placed on doctors, and that following consultation with members of the profession, it would be exploring options for staged payments from next year in order to aid the payment of fees.

The spokeswoman also said that the fees were tax deductible.

“In less than two weeks since commencing the annual retention process, approximately 7,000 doctors have renewed their registration - approximately 40 per cent of registered doctors - which is in line with previous years.”