Top-earning GP received €1.1m from medical cards
The top-earning family doctor in the country, Andrew Jordan, received more than €1.1m from the State for the treatment of medical card patients last year.
Dr Jordan, who has two practices in Dublin and has topped the list on a number of occasions, is also chairman of the National Association of General Practitioners. The association reacted angrily to the publication of the HSE payments last night, saying they are “grossly misleading” and “did not represent the take-home pay of GPs”.
Total State reimbursement of GPs in 2017 amounted to €551m, up from €453m in 2014.
Six Dublin practices feature in the top 10 of the State’s 100 highest-earning doctors. Austin Carroll is second on the list, earning €903,000. Dr Carroll works in inner-city Dublin and employs a large number of GPs and support staff, as well as running clinics for the homeless.
Two Cork GPs are in the top 10: Thomas J Molloy, who has a practice in Charleville, and David Molony, whose Red House Practice is in Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre. Dr Molloy received €619,000, while Dr Molony was paid almost €600,000.
Dr Molony told the Irish Examiner that running a GP practice is “a big concern that costs a lot”.
“We have a large infrastructure here,” said Dr Molony.
“We have 15 staff and 10 consultation rooms. We run services which are extremely costly and we operate a fully computerised system, that is audited to strict standards annually.”
“There are a lot of other factors that don’t appear in those figures.”
The Irish Medical Organisation described publication of the figures as “misleading and unhelpful” and that it implied that GPs are receiving “much more income than was actually the case”.
The HSE said it has “a legal obligation to release records/information as requested and as appropriate”.
It said it “fulfils its obligations by providing transparency, to the greatest extent possible, on the use of public funds”.
Top Earners
Dr Andrew Jordan, Dublin South West, €1.1m
Dr Austin O’Carroll, North West Dublin, €903,176
Dr Catherine Coleman, North West Dublin, €843,263
Dr Andrew Coady, Dublin South West, €805,084
Dr William Twomey, Dublin South West, €702,585
Dr Michael Casey, Galway, €645,001
Dr Anthony Crosby, North Dublin, €636,791
Dr Thomas J Molloy, North Cork, €618,881
Dr Donal Coffey, Kerry, €613,064
Dr David P Molony, North Cork, €599,152
