CQC private fee treatment: ‘Inadequate’

Independent practitioners have expressed anger with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after it hit them with a 9% increase in its charges for the year ahead.

Private doctors’ disgruntlement was heightened after they learned that dentists will escape any fee rise while they are forced to pay much bigger bills than some larger NHS practices.

Many independent practitioners feel they are being unfairly targeted by the regulatory body, which this month launched its beefed-up inspections regime following nationwide trials and feedback from the sector.

As one Harley Street GP, Dr Samina Showghi, put it: ‘We pay enough already.’