MARCUS de BRUN,
Sir, - I am a Non Consultant Hospital Doctor (NCHD) employed by the department of surgery at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. In light of the industrial action being conducted by my colleagues at Waterford General Hospital, and various articles that had appeared in your newspaper regarding doctors pay, I would like to defend the exorbitant salary that I am in receipt of.
It would seem that my salary has outstripped all other professionals within the PPF, and that I am currently enjoying a privilege and standard of living that others can only dream of. I would say to the begrudgers I am entitled to the luxury, comfort and cucumber sandwiches that my position affords, because I am a very important person.
Last month, the patently enormous monthly salary of €1,963.15 was deposited in my bank account by the North Eastern Health Board. This kingly ransom was paid to me in return for four 39-hour weeks.
Naturally, given my incredible wealth, I support a single income family, and out of my monthly crock of gold I must feed my wife and my two children, pay my mortgage and enjoy the epicurean pleasures attributed to my profession.
I can only say to those professionals (journalists included) who are receiving less for their labours than me; that you should avail of social welfare assistance, for I am only marginally above the eligibility for a medical card. Also, I must confess that becoming a millionaire was a very simple process, one that any professional is welcome to follow.
Unfortunately, I did not obtain the requisite points for medicine. Therefore my road to riches began some years ago. I completed a degree in science at California, a second degree in Microbiology at TCD and attended medical school at RCSI for five years, paying modest tuition fees of €7,000 per annum. In short, after 12 years of university, the yellow brick road has brought me to the megabuck salary of €10.25 per hour (with the additional luxury of a night or two per week away from my children).
With regard to my privileged position in society. Last week at a staff meeting I was informed that myself and my colleagues would no longer be paid for overtime beyond 5 p.m., which must now be conducted upon a voluntary basis. We were further informed that should we become involved in industrial action we "may" not be registered by the Irish Medical Council.
For all those who have worked as hard, and are receiving so much less, I can only advise that you are being deceived. Deceived almost as much as the public are being deceived by the media witch-hunt with regard to the salaries of NCHDs. Furthermore, it must be stated that all of this special attention and select priveges are my entitlement because, after all, I am a doctor. - Yours, etc.,
MARCUS de BRUN,
Dept of Surgery,
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital,
Drogheda.