The professional body for surgeons has expressed concern about the ”extortionate” fees being charged by some specialists, including some of its own members.
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons president Michael Grigg said the college would take action against any of its members found to have charged ”exploitative and unethical” fees, and could expel members from the college, which would have ramifications for their professional registration.
”[The college] believes that extortionate fees, where they are manifestly excessive and bear little if any relationship to utilisation of skills, time or resources, are exploitative and unethical. As such, they are in breach of the college’s code of conduct and will be dealt with by the college,” Professor Grigg said.
The college’s intervention comes ahead of a hearing in Canberra on Tuesday at which senators will take evidence about the out-of-pocket costs of healthcare as part of an inquiry initiated by Greens Senator Richard Di Natale.