Contracts ‘will put junior doctors off’

THE Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has warned that forcing new consultants into public-only contracts will deter junior hospital doctors from pursuing careers as consultants.

Junior hospital doctors believe they will be left to work all the unsociable hours, including weekend and night work, because plans for reform of the hospital system will require a 24-hour consultant presence.

Consultants holding existing contracts are only contracted to work 9am-5pm.