Prison doctors offered pay rise in bid to end dispute

PRISON doctors' salaries will almost double and annual leave and sick pay entitlements increase if they accept a deal designed to end a long-running dispute.

The deal, hammered out with the Irish Prison Service (IPS) in an effort to end a strike which began in May, will allow the 23 doctors up to one year's sick leave, with the first six months of the year paid in full, and half-pay for the second six months. The previous contract allowed for 31 days paid leave. Annual leave will increase from 38 to 42 days per year and 10 days of study leave has also been agreed.

Doctors working in prisons, who will be pensionable for the first time if the deal is agreed to, will be paid €117,300 for a 39-hour week (compared to €64,000 under the old system), plus an on-call allowance of €5,100. The deal, reported in Irish Medical News, includes some degree of retrospective pay, not expected to amount to a substantial figure.

The agreement will also allow for the inclusion, for the first time, of prison doctors in the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector.

IMO prison doctors spokesperson, Dr Hugh Gallagher, said while they were happy with their improved circumstances under the deal, they were anxious that proposed prison health service reform also take place.

"We are obviously satisfied with the terms and conditions but we still have to see the Prison Service deal with the quality of service issues which impact on our working environment and the service we can provide to our prison population," Dr Gallagher said.

Under the deal, the IMO and the IPS have agreed medical care for prisoners should mirror that provided to the wider community. An independent review of prison medical facilities and support services will be completed by an expert in general practice within six to eight months and the resulting report will be implemented over a two-year period.

An expert in substance misuse will carry out a separate review of the organisation and delivery of drug treatment services in Irish prisons. This will also have a six to eight-month time-frame but the expert's recommendations will be discussed by both parties at the Labour Relations Commission.

All but emergency cover services were withdrawn by the doctors in May in protest at the alleged failure by the Government to implement key health reforms in the prisons, as recommended in a 2001 report. The report called for improved psychological services and more addiction counsellors, as well as a fundamental review of the contract for doctors.

Doctors, who work on a predominantly part-time basis in the prisons, returned to work on Tuesday, August 10 and a ballot on whether to accept or reject the deal is underway. The official result of the ballot is expected on Friday.