Martin ‘jumped gun on scheme start’

HOSPITAL consultants have accused Minister for Health Micheál Martin of jumping the gun by ordering the start of a contentious new medical negligence insurance scheme without their agreement.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) are furious that a January 1 start date has been imposed when they believed another month or two of talks would have concluded negotiations on a number of disputed issues.

They claim the issues, if unresolved, will leave doubts over who has responsibility for historical liability, in other words compensation for patients who suffered injury prior to the new scheme coming into operation but are only successful in a court action at a later date.