Consultants accused of holding patients to ransom

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association has denied the Government’s accusation that it is holding patients to ransom by engaging in industrial action.

The Association’s members ceased co-operating with the National Treatment Purchase Fund yesterday as part of a dispute over the Government’s planned reform of the way they are insured.

The consultants are also due to withdraw from all but emergency services next Monday if the dispute is not resolved by then.