Hospital consultants to withdraw from NTPF

Hospital consultants are due to escalate their industrial action today by refusing to co-operate with the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

The consultants are engaged in the action as part of a dispute over the Government’s planned reform of the way in which they are insured.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association has claimed that the proposed reforms could leave its members personally liable for past negligence claims.

Talks on the matter are due to resume later today. If the dispute is not resolved by next Monday, the consultants have threatened to withdraw from all non-emergency duties.