Revised pay proposals won’t attract ‘high calibre’ medics

The Irish Hospitals Consultants Association has claimed revised HSE pay proposals for its members will fail to attract the number of “high calibre” consultants that are urgently needed.

The association accused the HSE of offering “discriminatory” employment terms for new entrant consultants despite the urgent need for them among patients who, it said, are already enduring unacceptable delays and waiting lists.

Dr Gerard Crotty, IHCA president, said there was no credible support for the proposals which, he said, represent a 20% salary cut for new entrants on a like-for-like basis after four years in the post and which fail to deliver parity even after nine years.

He said the proposals also undermine trust and would perpetuate consultant vacancies and continue to undermine the provision of timely care to patients.

“These revised proposals will drive potential new consultants abroad who expect parity with their colleagues because they have the same demanding responsibilities for the delivery of high quality patient care.

“This is a major concern for acute services which have in excess of 250 consultant vacancies that cannot be filled.

Hospitals throughout the country have consultant posts vacant in specialties which already had low numbers of consultants on a per capita basis to start with, making it impossible to continue to provide safe high quality care to patients.

This has already impacted adversely on patient care and safety.”

Dr Crotty said the “lack of meaningful discussions with the IHCA”, meant the proposals lack credibility.

He said the plans cannot be trusted as the criteria and targets for increments are subjective and dependent on the provision of sufficient resources to treat patients and this is of major concern given repeated breaches of the terms of the 2008 contract by the State and health service management since 2008.

Earlier this week consultant and junior hospital doctor members of the Irish Medical Organisation voted to accept the revised proposals on pay and career structures for consultants.

They reduced from 12 to nine years the period it would take to reach the top of the pay scale.