IMO Working For You

Consultants are represented through the IMO National Consultants Committee who are elected members of the consultant body.  The main focus of the Committee’s work in the past year has been around the new Consultant Contract and issues that have arisen in terms of its implementation.  The Committee has also been very active in the development of policy and advocacy around the critical deficits in health service capacity and the lack of a strategic consultant workforce plan.

In addition to our work on national issues we have a dedicated Member Advisory Team who will assist you in any individual contract issues.  During the past year we have assisted many consultants both in Ireland and from abroad in considering the impact of the new consultant contract in terms of their own working arrangements.  We will continue to offer this service and are happy to meet on an individual, departmental or hospital site basis. Additionally we offer financial planning services through our subsidiary IMO Financial Services and as a member you can avail of an individual financial review with one of our qualified team.

Queries and requests for all our services should be sent to consultants@imo.ie

 

Payment of Public Sector Agreements

Despite attempts by Government in 2022 to withdraw from its commitments to pay consultants the final phase of the unwinding of FEMPI ,through public sector pay agreements, the IMO ensured that the payments were made and while very late in their application, were backdated to the agreed dates.

The final pay measures under the public sector agreement Building Momentum were applied as follows:

2% on 1^st March 2023

1.5% on 1^st October 2023

As advised in recent days the current agreement expires on 31^st December and talks of a successor agreement did not result in an agreed position. Talks between the public sector unions and Government have now adjourned and while the Unions are available to meet it is not expected there will be any further engagement prior to the New Year.

Public Only Consultants Contract 2023

Following challenging and intensive negotiations the terms of the new POCC was put to a ballot of IMO members.  In circumstances where the Department concluded negotiations while there were still some areas of disagreement, the IMO insisted on a period of time that allowed for consultation with members and a ballot on the proposed terms.  Notwithstanding the results of the ballot, where 57% indicated they would not opt to the new contract, the Department of Health and the HSE advised that the only contract on offer to new appointments from March 2023 would be the POCC. 

It is important to note that It remains a matter for each current contract holder as to whether or not they choose to switch to the new contract or maintain the terms of their existing contract.

Following representation by the IMO regarding the ongoing delays for some members in transitioning to the Public Only Consultant Contract and the implications of that system delay in respect of the winding down of private practice the following was been agreed:

 

Where a Consultant submits their application to switch to the POCC 2023 by Friday 15^th December the HSE will aim to complete the contracting process in January 2024 with an effective date in December 2023. This will allow the Consultant to avail of the two year transition period.

 

The key focus of the National Consultants Committee will now be in relation to the implementation of the terms of the new contract and in particular the adherence to the terms relating to location, hours and rostering principles.  We encourage all members to report to us any breaches of their contractual rights and we will be more than happy to provide expert contractual advice and support in any issues you may have.

The IMO summary of the POCC is available here

Update on Other Contract Issues

Post Training Career Breaks

During the course of the contract negotiations, the IMO raised the status of those Consultants who were unable to avail of a career break upon completion of their training and prior to taking a Consultant post; this, naturally, would have consequences for their superannuation position. There is now a system of retrospective application that may be of benefit to some number of Consultants. In order to benefit from the new arrangement, the Consultant would have had to have applied for a career break and been rejected, or not have been informed that such a facility existed at the time. 

CME and Study Leave

As a once off measure, given service pressures and the buildup of CME balances since the pandemic, unused CME allowances and untaken study leave may be carried into 2024.

 

Annual Leave

Untaken annual leave, above the statutory minimum of twenty days, which was untaken as a result of service pressures, may be carried into 2024.

 

Historic Rest Days

The timepoint by which Historic Rest Days must be discharged is 31st December 2025. 

 

Recruitment Freeze

In October the HSE introduced a recruitment freezes which, while excluding Consultant appointments and those doctors on formal training schemes, includes all other NCHD posts.

The IMO has strongly objected to this unilateral action which will, in our view, seriously impact on the ability of the health service to deliver safe patient care. 

We expect the negative consequences of this reckless action by the HSE to worsen in the New Year and will be asking consultants to let us know of the impact on your own working environment – such impacts will include but not be limited to worsening gaps in medical rotas, and reduced availability of allied health professionals and administrative supports.

The IMO National NCHD Committee has advised members that due to the very significant impact on NCHDs and the breach of contractual terms a ballot for industrial action will take place in the New Year unless the measure is lifted.  We know that consultants will support their colleagues fully just as they did in 2022.

As a consequence of the recruitment freezes, the IMO and other health unions have withdrawn from formal talks on an extended working day / week, and have also left talks on the HSE Regional Areas.

Membership

Again, thank you for your support. We ask that you encourage all your colleagues to join the IMO and be part of our work.  It is critical that all doctors, across all specialties and all sectors of our health service,  join together with a common purpose to ensure we have a health service that is resourced to deliver timely patient care and capable of recruiting enough doctors to deliver that care.