Trainee surgeons will not apply for new consultant positions

NONE of the country’s trainee surgeons intend to apply for hospital consultant posts advertised last week, according to the college responsible for training them.

Yesterday the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) took the unprecedented step of issuing a statement criticising the decision to advertise the new posts in the absence of an agreed contract of employment between health service employers and consultant representatives. Negotiations to agree a new contract stalled 10 days ago.

The college does not normally comment publicly on industrial relations issues.