Doctors warn of 'head-on clash' with health employers

The Irish Medical Organisation warned this afternoon that it will meet the Health Service Employers Agency(HSEA) "head on" if they continue to treat junior doctors in the manner they have to date.

I am sending a 'loud' and 'clear message from this AGM, if they continue to frustrate our members the IMO will meet them head on Mr George McNeice

An agreement - reached between the country's 2,500 "junior" doctors and the health services employers agency last year - included a system for monitoring overtime as well as training grants to enable Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) to undertake postgraduate education.

Speaking at the IMO AGM in Killarney, Chief Executive, Mr George McNeice told delegates the IMO is totally committed to the full implementation of the agreement.

"The HSEA, the Health Boards and individual hospitals should be under no illusion, the IMO is totally committed to the full implementation of the contract agreement," Mr McNeice.

"I am sending a 'loud' and 'clear message from this AGM, if they continue to frustrate our members the IMO will meet them head on."

According to the IMO, the HSEA has failed to implement in full the NCHD contract, an action, it says,that is diminishing any sense of trust and co-operation amongst the NCHD members of the IMO who averted strike action last year when an agreement was reached.

The agreement was reached following a recommendation by the Labour Relations Commission, which has also been clarified since by the LRC.

"Unfortunately, yet again, implementation of a number of elements of the agreement are proving problematic," continued Mr McNeice.

"It appears to me that the HSEA, who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the agreement in the first place, are now determined to frustrate its implementation."

There was no one available at the HSEA to comment early this afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Health, Mr Micheál Mártín , has responded by calling on the IMO to use established procedures to resolve the row, according to reports on RTE News.

The Minister,who is expected to address the IMO conference tomorrow, pointed out that junior doctors have received nearly £40m in overtime payments since the original agreement was signed.