Harris proposes talks with doctors on reforms but not pay

Minister for Health Simon Harris has proposed talks with hospital consultants commencing next week on healthcare reforms but not specifically on ending the lower -pay rates in place for specialists recruited over recent years.

In a letter sent to the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) he said he wanted to attend discussions with health service management and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform "to explore how the challenges faced by our public health service might be considered in the context of the current health reform programme".

The Minister suggested in his letter the talks could consider the broader Slaintecare reforms and the proposals on eliminating private medicine from public hospitals as proposed in the recent De Buitleir report.

The letter does not specifically suggest that the talks would aim at ending the two-tier pay system which medical organisations contend is leading to the recruitment and retention difficulties being experienced in hospitals around the country.

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Medical organisations contend that there are about 500 consultant posts not filled on a permanent basis.

Mr Harris said in the summer that the current two-tier pay system, under which new-entrant consultants appointed since 2012 receive around €50,000 less than colleagues who have been in the position for longer, was not fair.

“My views on pay parity for consultants is clear. It needs to be rectified. It is unfair and it is having an impact on recruitment and retention of highly skilled doctors,” he told The Irish Times at the time.

Medical organisations maintain introducing pay parity for all consultants would cost about €40 million.

A spokeswoman for Mr Harris said he wrote to the Irish Medical Organisation inviting them to meet with his department, the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform next week.

“Mr Harris has been clear there are issues of recruitment and retention among the consultant workforce that need to be examined.”

"Mr Harris has also recently published the Donal De Buitlear report, which examines phasing out of private practice from public hospitals."

The Harris will write to other stakeholders in due course.