The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) has fined the National Association of Family Doctors (LHV) over 7.7 million euros for limiting the freedom doctors have to decide where they can practice.

The NMa says doctors should be able to work wherever they want but that the LHV has for years been advising its members to limit that freedom. Two members of LHV’s staff have also been fined 50,000 and 25,000 euros each because the MNa holds them personally responsible for the situation.

An NMa spokesperson explains: “We made it clear to the LHV in 2001 that it’s not allowed to limit the freedom doctors have to set up practices wherever they like.”

The LHV has been advising its members to allow family doctors to join a practice only if the doctors already working there back the move. “This means the likelihood is that a new family doctor won’t get a fair chance,” says the spokesperson.

The NMa was alerted to the situation by a number of doctors. It says it’s not just new family practitioners who suffer as a result: both patients and health insurers come off worse too.

It is imposing damages on the LHV for every day it refuses to rescind its advice to its members. The LHV says it’s shocked by the fines and the imposition of damages and will appeal against the NMa ruling.

MPs angry
Meanwhile, Socialist Party MPs are calling for a debate on the issue with Health Minister Edith Schippers, says the RTL news station. The Socialist Party says the NMa shouldn’t meddle with the way family practitioners organise themselves, arguing that the provision of care by family doctors shouldn’t be seen in ordinary market terms.

One SP MP is worried about what might happen “if family doctors are stopped from making deals between themselves”. His scenarios include the possible disappearance of weekend doctors’ services and even whole practices in rural areas.

(mw)

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