THE IRISH Medical Organisation (IMO) has warned that the implementation of unilateral cuts in payments and allowances to non-consultant doctors by health service management amounting to tens of millions of euro would inevitably lead to a serious dispute in hospitals, which could have implications for patient care.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) said yesterday the payment of millions of euro in allowances to non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) was no longer sustainable and the organisation now had to move to implement changes.
It confirmed a report published in the The Irish Timesyesterday that it was planning to abolish with immediate effect a paid meal break system and a living-out allowance of up to €3,360 per year.
An €18 million training grant scheme, under which non-consultant doctors receive just under €4,000 is to be reviewed. It is expected that in future the money will only be paid to doctors attending courses run by accredited training bodies.
The HSE said that by staggering lunch breaks and ceasing related overtime payments it would save more than €25 million. It said yesterday that new ways of working and new work patterns were a key requirement in moving towards complying with European legislation limiting working hours for NCHDs and as a means of reducing unnecessary costs.
The IMO’s director of industrial relations, Finbarr Murphy, said last night the HSE move was “provocative” and that it was surprised at the unilateral action.
He said the IMO would be consulting with its members on a response in the days ahead. However, he said that the implementation of the cuts would inevitably lead to a serious dispute. IMO members have already voted in favour of industrial action in the event of the HSE introducing the cuts unilaterally.
The HSE said it had not proved possible to reach agreement with the IMO in talks held over the last week or so at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC). It said that it remained fully committed to the industrial relations process and was ready to attend the Labour Court yesterday on these issues but that the IMO had chosen not to accept the invitation.
However, the organisation strongly rejected this claim and said it had never received any invitation to attend the Labour Court.
The IMO said: “We are participating in discussions with the HSE under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission on proposals concerning the terms and conditions of our non-consultant hospital doctor members.
“We entered the discussions in good faith and we are committed to ensuring that the LRC process is followed to a conclusion. That process is ongoing and is not exhausted by any means.”
The HSE said that at present non-consultant hospital doctors were rostered to work from 9.00am to 5.00pm and were paid overtime for all other hours worked outside of this.
“Unlike other health service staff, all 4,800 NCHDs are paid overtime during lunch break. Staggering these lunch breaks and ceasing related overtime payments will save the HSE in excess of € 25 million per year,” it said.
The HSE said the “living out” allowance of up to € 3,360 per year dated back to a period when non-consultant doctors were required to live on the hospital site. It said that this was no longer required.
The HSE said close to 50 per cent of those receiving the current training grant were not aligned or registered with a training body. The cost of the grant was € 18.5 million per year.