asked the Minister for Health his views on the charge made by hospitals on behalf of unnamed consultant pathologists and radiologists to patients deemed by the hospital not to be entitled to free service; the proportion of these charges which accrue to the hospital; and the incidence of uncollected or disputed charges arising under this system.
Written Answers. - Hospital Charges.
82.
The common contract for consultant medical staff, including consultant pathologists and radiologists, provides that each consultant should be entitled to engage in private practice inside and outside the hospital or hospital group in which he or she is based. The arrangements made by individual consultants with their private patients is a matter for them.
Arrangements made between consultants and the hospitals in which they are based in regard to the collection of fees is a matter for agreement at local level. I would expect that hospitals should be fully reimbursed for all costs incurred by them in any such arrangements. This is not an area over which I have any jurisdiction at present and I am not, therefore, in a position to give the details sought by the Deputy.