Minister accuses consultants of undermining insurance talks

Health Minister Micheál Martin has accused hospital consultants of undermining efforts to reach an agreement on a new scheme to insure them against compensation claims.

Mr Martin said yesterday that the Irish Hospital Consultants Association’s decision to take industrial action over the proposed new scheme was not helping the situation.

The IHCA believes the minister’s planned insurance reform will leave them personally liable for past negligence claims, because their previous insurer, Britain’s Medical Defence Union, says it cannot afford to indemnify them, despite collecting premiums to cover the period.

Officials from the IHCA, the MDU and the Department of Health are due to meet in London today in an effort to overcome the impasse.