The lack of a centralised pay system for non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) has meant that once again, these doctors are struggling to get paid, have been paid on the wrong scale or have not been paid for all of the hours they have worked, the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has said.

Every six months, NCHDs move from one hospital to another. This issue has arisen again in recent weeks as NCHDs moved hospitals and new interns have come into the system.

While NCHDs work in HSE-funded hospitals, every hospital has its own payroll system, which means that each hospital treats newly-arrived NCHDs as new employees. This can result in these doctors being placed on emergency tax or not receiving payment on time among other problems.

According to the IMO, the “root of this problem is the lack of a centralised pay system”. It pointed out that in the case of some new NCHDs, not getting paid is their first experience of working with the HSE.

“No effort is made to pay NCHDs immediately when the error is identified and they invariably have to wait until the next payroll run for any adjustments to be made, leaving them with no funds to pay for rent or living expenses,” explained Dr John Cannon, chairperson of the IMO’s NCHD Committee.

He noted that these payroll issues come at a time when NCHDs have already had to take on the added expense of moving from one part of the country to another, “very often having to pay rent in two locations at the same time and moving themselves away from family”.

The IMO said that this is one of the key issues in its #standingup4nchd campaign. As part of this campaign, NCHDs recently voted 97% in favour of industrial action up to an including strike action.