Following the agreement between Government and the Private Hospitals, the IMO has been in discussion with both the Department of Health and the HSE on matters relating both to the contractual terms for Full Time Private Consultants and the implications and contractual terms for those consultants working within the public system on Types B and C contracts.  

Given the current pandemic there are significant issues for the practice of consultants on public contracts over the coming months and the IMO sought contract options for Consultants holding Type B and Type C Contracts.  

We are pleased to report that agreement has been reached with the HSE on this matter which offers consultants (excluding existing Type A Consultants) a voluntary option to move to a Temporary Type A Contract for the period from now until 2^nd September. 

There are several provisions to note in this matter;

1. Requests from individual Consultants to switch to a Type A Contract must be made to the Hospital Group CEO or CHO Chief Officer using the COVID – 19 change of contract request form.
2. Consultants availing of this provision will remain attached to the prevailing salary scale, i.e. pre or post 2012, and at their current salary point, i.e. point 5 on the Type B pre 2012 scale will become point 5 on the pre 2012 Type A scale – point 5 on the Type B post 2012 scale will become point 5 on the post 2012 Type A scale.
3. The provision to switch will continue initially until 2^nd September, at which point a Consultant may apply to switch back to his/her existing contract.
4. Holders of the 1997 (Buckley) Contract are included within the terms of this Circular.  

The provision is voluntary and each consultant will have to consider their options in the context of their individual working arrangements for the coming months. 

The IMO Member Advisory Team are available to talk you through your options in this regard and can be contacted on 01 767273 or by email at memberadvisoryunit@imo.ie 

Full details of the circular are available here

Appendix 1 - Implementation Guidance for Medical Manpower Managers
Appendix 2 - COVID 19 Change in contract request to Group CEO/CHO Chief Officer
Appendix 3 - Consultant Contract 2008 Type A Approval Letter April 2020

 Details of Salary Scales Pre and Post 2012 for Type A are available here