Consultants’ recruitment ads to begin next week

THE first specialities to benefit from consultants appointed under a new work contract will be those with long patient waiting lists, Health Minister Mary Harney said yesterday.

Ms Harney said rheumatology, neurology, respiratory medicine and psychiatry would be given priority in her plan to recruit 350 new consultants.

Speaking at the Irish Medical Organisation’s (IMO) AGM in Killarney yesterday, Ms Harney said she intended to press ahead with the new consultant contract and would begin advertising new posts from next Thursday.