Consultants shun new State Claims Agency

HOSPITAL consultants are refusing to cooperate with a new Government agency dealing with compensation claims.

The public consultants won’t sign up to the State Claims Agency to deal with claims made by patients in public hospitals, as this would result in insurance for private consultants becoming more expensive.

Last night, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern reiterated that the Government was going to take on the consultants, stating that the renegotiation of their contracts was central to the new health reform package.