IMO: Plan for ‘public-only’ consultants could mean free-for-all
The IMO said it was surprised at the suggestion made by Tánaiste Mary Harney in an interview yesterday, as the organisation had never been given any indication it was something that was being considered.
Ms Harney told The Sunday Business Post the Government was considering jettisoning plans to put in place a new common contract for hospital consultants, following a lack of progress in protracted negotiations with the IMO and the Irish Hospital Consultants’ Association (IHCA).
Instead, the Government is considering allowing hospitals to hire consultants on a localised basis, all of whose contracts will be on a “public-only” basis. That would prevent new consultants running private practices in public hospitals.
IMO director of industrial relations Fintan Hourihan yesterday said that if this new direction came to pass, it would mark a departure from established procedures.
“Over the years, the Department of Health and politicians have clearly opposed localised pay bargaining. They have wanted it to be done centrally.”
He said this possible radical departure might reflect the fact that there has been no breakthrough in talks over the new common contract.
Talks broke down in June amid wrangling over a Government decision to employ consultants on “public-only” contracts while negotiations were ongoing.
“The IMO had no indication that the Minister for Health would move away from long-established policy of national bargaining as a basis for resuming the discussion in September,” Mr Hourihan said yesterday.
He, however, added that it would not allow the Government to bypass the current impasse in negotiations.
“They will still find themselves negotiating with the IMO and the IHCA at a hospital level. We must presume that they are not suggesting that they bring in a free-for-all that every consultant would be employed on a different contract. It would be complete chaos.”
He said it was impossible to see how that scenario would unfold.
“Doctors would still want to have professional representation. It’s been done at a national level since 1979. Even if there were devolved negotiations, there would still be a role for IMO.”
Earlier this year, the Tánaiste threatened that if consultants did not agree to the new contract, she would begin to recruit consultants individually.
Resolving the common contract issue is seen as a crucial part of her health service reform agenda.
Last Monday, she accepted that the results of those reforms had yet to filter through to the public, but vowed results would be evident before the general election next year.
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