Eye doctors agreed to fix prices for exams over dinner, CMA says

Doctors at the second biggest private healthcare company in the UK agreed to fix prices over dinner, the regulator said, as it issued a £1.2m fine.

Seven consultant ophthalmologists at a hospital in Macclesfield operated by Spire Healthcare agreed to charge £200 for assessments, which resulted in four of them increasing their prices by £20 meaning consumers may have been overcharged.

The Competition and Markets Authority said that the issue was discussed at a dinner organised by hospital management and attended by five of the seven doctors.

After the dinner an agreement was made and Spire liaised with its customer service teams to facilitate it.

The firm has been fined £1.2m with the consultants receiving fines ranging from £635 to £3,859. One was not fined as they brought it to the CMA’s attention.

Michael Grenfell, of the CMA, said: “Initial consultations are an essential first step for people suffering from eye disorders.

“It is unacceptable that patients were unable to shop around and get the best deal because Spire and the consultants illegally set a minimum consultation fee.”

Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine specialising in the treatment of eye disorders like cataracts or glaucoma. Private consultants set their own prices for initial consultations for self-pay patients.

The CMA said the arrangement was found to have taken place from August 2017 until July last year.

Spire apologised for its conduct and said it had accepted the findings. It said it did not financially benefit from the arrangement as the fees were paid directly to the consultant.

It said the quality of patient care was not compromised, but that it is investing in a new pricing system. Roughly 150 patients were affected, it said.