Irish Medical Organisation

Public Health and Community Health Doctor Motions- Saturday, 22nd April 9.30am – 12.30pm

1. This meeting calls on the HSE to take immediate steps to fill the post of Director of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre by an open recruitment process.  It is crucial that this senior medical post, which has been vacant since May 2016, be filled as soon as possible to assure the continued health security of the nation.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried As Amended

Amendment

This meeting calls on the HSE to take immediate steps to fill the post of Director of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre with appropriate terms and conditions by an open recruitment process.  It is crucial that this senior medical post, which has been vacant since May 2016, be filled as soon as possible to assure the continued health security of the nation.

2. The IMO calls on the HSE to upgrade the remaining longstanding Area Medical Officers (AMOs) in the Community Medical Departments to the grade of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) without delay, in recognition of the fact that those AMOs carry out the same duties as SMOs and that SMO has been the entry grade to the service since 2003.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried

3. The IMO calls on the Department of Health to review the qualifications and experience required for doctors applying for posts in the Community Medical Service, in the context of the range of services delivered by the Service and the relevant education, training and qualifications available at present.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried As Amended

Amendment

The IMO calls on the Department of Health to review and update the qualifications and/or experience required for doctors applying for posts in the Community Medical Service, in the context of the range of services delivered by the Service and the relevant education, training and qualifications available at present.

4. The IMO calls on the HSE to ensure that all vacancies at Senior Medical Officer and Principal Medical Officer level, that currently exist or that may arise in the future, are filled promptly in order to ensure continuity of the service they provide.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried As Amended

Amendment

The IMO calls on the HSE to ensure that all vacancies at Senior Medical Officer and Principal Medical Officer level, that currently exist are or that may arise in the future, are promptly filled on a permanent basis in order to ensure continuity of the service they provide.

5. The IMO notes that the recommendations of the Brennan Review (2002) of the Public Health Medical Service were not implemented.  In welcoming the review by Crowe Horwath, which is due to be completed by June 2017, the IMO calls on the Department to implement its recommendations without delay.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried

6. The IMO calls on the HSE to provide information on its proposed structure for the Public Health Medical Service in the context of the restructuring of the Directorates which is currently under way.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried

7. The IMO calls on the HSE to finalise the Workforce Plan for Public Health Medicine in Ireland. This is essential to ensure that the Departments of Public Health have sufficient medical staff to safely carry out their legislatively required health protection duties and their other duties to protect and improve the health of the population in the areas that they cover.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried As Amended

Amendment

The IMO calls on the HSE to agree and finalise the Workforce Plan for Public Health Medicine in Ireland. This is essential to ensure that the Departments of Public Health have sufficient medical staff to safely carry out their legislatively required health protection duties and their other duties to protect and improve the health of the population in the areas that they cover.

8. The IMO calls on the HSE to anticipate the retirement of Directors and Specialists in Public Health Medicine, and the number of Specialist Registrars in Public Health Medicine completing their specialist training, in order to fill vacancies on a permanent basis without delay.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried

9. The IMO again calls on the HSE to ensure that all current vacancies and those which arise in the future in Departments of Public Health for Senior Medical Officers are filled on a permanent basis as soon as possible in order to provide a high quality health protection service.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried

10. The recruitment campaign currently under way to full some of the vacant Director of Public Health posts is welcome.  However, in the absence of a consultant contract, the IMO calls for clarity on the terms and conditions of the fixed term contract positions which were advertised.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Withdrawn 

11. In view of the absence of agreed contractual arrangements to provide a Public Health Medicine Out of Hours Service and pending negotiations on a Type A Consultant Contract for Specialists in Public Health Medicine, the IMO again calls on the HSE to engage in meaningful discussions about the provision of a safe and adequately resourced Public Health Medicine Out of Hours Service in line with Ireland’s obligations under the International Health Regulations and the need to protect the health of the population on a 24/7 basis.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried

12. The IMO again calls on the Department of Health and the HSE to implement the common consultant contract for all practising Specialists in Public Health Medicine given the important role of Public Health Medicine in protecting and improving the health of the population of Ireland, and given the serious mismatch between the duties of Specialists in Public Health Medicine and the current contract.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried

13. The IMO again calls on the Department of Health and the HSE to adequately resource Departments of Public Health Medicine with regard to their preparedness to identify and respond to rapidly emerging threats to the health of the Irish population.

Proposer: IMO Public Health and Community Health Doctors Committee

Status: Carried

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