The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has warned that the new public-only consultant contract in and of itself will not solve the chronic problems the health service is facing.

The Organisation has said the government can only expect to see meaningful improvements if it also addresses long-standing issues that have been "blighted the service".

 The IMO was responding to a recent letter sent by the HSE to the chief executives of hospitals and community healthcare organisations, outlining its concern over whether these institutions are deriving the “necessary benefits” from the new consultant contracts.

The letter stated that “in particular, weekend and extended day working arrangements in the above settings needs to be demonstrated”.

Prof Matthew Sadlier, chair of the consultants committee of the IMO, said: “It is not realistic to infer that the health service will see tangible benefits if consultants are consistently rostered outside ‘normal’ working hours.”
 
He added that, currently, if consultants are obliged to work odd hours, then clinics at other times will have to be cancelled as there is a significant lack of doctors to provide cover.

“There are hundreds of consultant posts that remain vacant or filled on a temporary basis, and the consultants in our system are working at maximum capacity. There is no room for manoeuvre unless major investment for more doctors and more beds, along with significant structural reform and realignment, are provided.”