Consultants: We have already taken a pay cut
President of the Irish Hospital Consultants’ Association (IHCA), Dr Paul Oslizlok, said consultants had agreed to forego certain pay aspects of the new consultants’ contract because of the downturn in the economy.
“It has not been easy and it was not initially universally accepted but consultants were prepared to do that because they felt that, in addition to their role as advocates for patient care, they also had a role in terms of demonstrating what was to be required,” he said.
Dr Oslizlok, who was speaking at the launch of the association’s pre-budget submission, said consultants wanted to see other senior individuals within the health sector taking a pay cut before considering further cuts in their salaries.
“This all has to be taken as a whole and other sectors within the health sector had to step up to the mark too,” he said.
IHCA general secretary Finbarr Fitzpatrick said there was the income levy of up to 3.5% and the pension levy that at the upper end was about 9.5%.
“Everybody in the public sector has taken those hits and so have consultants,” he said.
He also pointed out that Health Minister Mary Harney said last April around €68 million due in 2008 under the new contract would not be paid and further increases due in January and June this year were deferred, amounting to an annual saving of around €130m in consultants’ salaries in a full year.
Dr Oslizlok rejected criticism that consultants were overpaid relative to their European counterparts.
He also pointed out that the number of hospital consultants per head of population in Ireland was far lower than countries like Germany and Britain.
The IHCA’s pre-budget submission recommends that the 2010 Health Service Executive budget should be increased by €650m – an increase of around 4% compared with the 2009 budget, to provide for shortfalls in the current year and allow for expected increased demand for acute hospital and mental health services.
Dr Oslizlok said it made no sense to address the financial crisis by just lopping percentages from columns of figures and leaving services overstretched and restricting the delivery of services.
“We should look at our most basic needs and prioritise them,” he said.
