Hospital consultants to begin industrial action

Irish hospital consultants are to begin industrial action from Monday.

The senior doctors will boycott meetings with health service employers and officials in a dispute over the Government's plan to appoint new consultants without the Irish Hospital Consultants Association's agreement.

The national council of the IHCA took the decision at a meeting today after 93% of members balloted voted in favour.

Assistant secretary general of the union, Donal Duffy said: "Those conditions are not in the long-term interest of the health service and the reform programme that we aspire to.

"We are making it as limited as humanly possible but it will affect the management and the health service structures in moving forward."

Consultants claim that the 68 advertised jobs could lead to doctors having to work longer hours for less pay.

Mr Duffy added that consultants did not intend to cause any disruption to patient care but would not be co-operating in hospital committee work, ministerial meetings and other appointments with the Health Service Executive.

He added they would not attend functions linked to the authorities.

The move follows the breakdown of talks between employers and consultants last month.

The IHCA represents the vast majority of hospital consultants and its work to rule will continue until its national council meets again on June 16.

Up to 1,800 members of the union could take action and negotiations are expected to continue.

A spokesman for the HSE said: "The action being taken is unnecessary and regrettable. Their withdrawal from day-to-day management of hospitals and co-operation with the management will have some impact on patient services.''