Public health officials frustrated at lack of progress on contracts

Despite the extra Covid-19 workload and increasing their productivity in general, as agreed last year, the extra money and the consultants' contracts have not materialized. File image

Public health specialists are becoming increasingly frustrated at the ongoing delay in securing better pay which was agreed to last year. 

Government is not fully behind a bid to pay public health specialists more money, according to The Irish Medical Organisation, which represents the specialists and had expected to be given details about enhanced consultant contracts today. 

However, at a meeting with Department of Health and HSE officials this morning they were told there need to be legislative changes made by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. 

The meeting came just over a week after Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was warned about widespread low morale in the overstretched service.

Even Dr Ronan Glynn, the acting Chief Medical Officer, declared them the country's “unsung and unthanked heroes” for decades at a recent Covid-19 press briefing.

IMO criticises Government for continuing to deny our Public Health heroes their due status as Consultants https://t.co/1hNIBAKw5n

— Irish Medical Organisation (@IMO_IRL) September 9, 2020

They have been looking for consultant status for the last 17 years and after going on strike, they were promised last year the contracts would be in place by this summer.

Despite the extra Covid-19 workload and increasing their productivity in general, as agreed last year, the extra money and the consultants' contracts have not materialized.

However, action on the issue depends on an amendment to the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation that prohibits public pay hikes.

Public Health Specialist Dr Anne Dee said: “We all thought there was going to be good news for us at the meeting but we didn't get what we were expecting. Far from it.

“What we left with is a very clear impression that there is not a whole of government response and support for what we are looking for.

“The Department of Expenditure and Reform do not appear to be on board. 

Things have not progressed at all and in fact, we think they have actually gone backwards.

“It seems like there has been no effort to progress FEMPI legislation they say is needed to make these contracts happen. Everyone seems to be paying lip service and saying the right things.

“We get all the accolades every week. That’s all well and good but there has been no actual action and that is what we are looking for.”

Earlier this year the Irish Examiner highlighted that the Public Health Medicine system was in danger of “collapse” because the Department of Health had not fulfilled an agreement to give public health specialist doctors consultant status and contracts more than a year after they promised to do so.

The fact that public health specialists were not mentioned in the Programme For Government was described by their representatives on the IMO as “a slap in the face”.

They said the country’s 92 public health doctors, who have led Ireland’s response to Covid-19, feel “betrayed” as a result.

A senior Department of Health source today insisted they want the specialists to get their contracts.

A comment is awaited from the Department of Expenditure and Reform.