Dr Paul Thesinger has labelled “fees” the RACGP charges GPs for “so called” accreditation to enable doctors to continue to gain Medicare rebates as a “con”.

“There is a system of compulsory Quality Improvement and Continuing Professional Development (QI&CPD) for GPs in this country for the purpose of raising and maintaining health care standards, which is a good thing,” he said.

“This training is required to enable GPs to maintain their vocational registration status with Medicare, so that their patients receive the best possible Medicare rebate.”

He said various specialists, pharmaceutical companies and educational organisations provide the educational material, seminars and conferences, often at not insignificant cost to GPs and provide certification that the GPs have actually undertaken and participated in these educational activities.

“The RACGP has led GPs to believe that the certification provided (and the CPD points obtained) requires tabulation by the college and that we, the GPs, should have to pay for this ‘service’ – an annual fee of around $900,” Dr Thesinger said.

“If you are a member/fellow of the college, this is included in your membership fee, but most GPs in this country do not belong to the RACGP.

“It is all a con. There is no government/Medicare/AHPRA regulation or legislation that requires a GP to have his or her CPD points tabulated by any organisation.

“You just need to have proof from the body providing the education that you have participated fully in the learning experience in the event that you are subject to a Medicare audit.”

Dr Thesinger estimates over the past 30 years he has paid today's equivalent of $30,000 to the RACGP for something he did not need.

“I’m sure this absolutely resonates with countless other GPs in Australia,” he said.

“It really upsets me, and as news anchorman in the 1975 movie ‘Network’ said ‘I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!

“I hope other GPs will join me in exposing the RACGP for what they really are – a bunch of self-important academics trying to justify their own pompous positions in the medical world and ripping off GPs in the process.

“Let's revolt against this unscrupulous behaviour by the RACGP and their unnecessary ‘fee’.”

A RACGP spokesperson said Fellows of the RACGP do need RACGP approval to continue to receive Medicare funding.

“GPs can tabulate and keep their own records to send to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), but they cannot send these to Medicare,” the spokesperson said.

“The RACGP has more than 38,000 members working in or towards a career in general practice across metropolitan regional and rural areas.

“Specialist GPs see the widest range of conditions of any medical specialty, which is why Medicare deems it essential they maintain and improve their professional knowledge and skills in order to provide the best possible care for patients and their communities.

“The RACGP’s Quality Improvement and Continuing Professional Development (QI&CPD) Program supports Australian GPs to do this and to meet the requirements set by Medicare.

“Continuing professional development for GPs includes a range of activities to meet individual learning that is relevant to their scope of practice.”

The spokesperson said the QI&CPD Program had been developed for the Australian general practice setting to provide GPs with opportunities to improve patient safety and quality outcomes; support continuous quality improvement within the general practice setting; and enable GPs to fulfil their individual and vocational continuing professional development requirements.