500 medical scientists set to lose jobs

MORE than 500 medical scientists may lose their jobs within the next 18 months as part of controversial reforms by the Health Service Executive (HSE) of the country’s hospital laboratory system.

The Academy of Medical Laboratory Science (AMLS) claims the HSE is planning to start processing GPs’ patients’ tests in three automated laboratories in different parts of the country within the next 12-18 months.

In addition hospitals’ testing functions will be cut back so that they are only carried out in a select number of hospitals.

AMLS said a report proposing the changes was created by a British management services company last year and while that report was never published and has not been debated, the HSE intends to implement it.

AMLS president Kevin O’Connell said: “This is rationalisation by the back door, and it undermines any trust that our members would have in the HSE.”

Mr O’Connell said AMLS estimated that up to a third of the country’s 2,000 medical scientists could lose their jobs as a result of the new system.

He said the public would suffer too as the tests would be processed by the machines and “button pushers” without the level of human expertise provided by the medical scientists.

“Tom Finn, HSE assistant national director for contracts, has failed to enter into communications with the union’s members as to how he envisages the pathology services developing,” said Mr O’Connell.

“We are increasingly frustrated that Mr Finn will not engage with medical scientists on the future of Irish laboratories. Mr Finn’s withdrawal from the recently-held Pathology Forum 2008 was yet another example of failure on the part of the HSE to enter into discussion.”

Meanwhile, the City of Dublin Skin and Cancer Hospital and University College Dublin have announced details of a new facility dedicated to dermatology in Ireland.

The Charles Institute will recruit upwards of 50 scientists, graduate students and medical practitioners and will be devoted to research in skin conditions and the training of health professionals in dermatology.

The new 2,000sq m institute will be built on the UCD campus at Belfield at a cost of €18 million, with €12m in funding coming from the board of the City of Dublin Skin and Cancer Hospital from the sale of the Hume Street Hospital site. The other €6m in funding is from UCD.