Irish Medical Organisation

HSE Risk Losing Goodwill Of Consultants

12th October 2012

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) is dismayed at the approach adopted by the HSE when both parties met yesterday afternoon with regard to Consultant Work Practices.

The IMO informed the HSE of its decision to ballot members on the LRC recommendations and if accepted that the proposals would form the basis of an agreement to be implemented at hospital level.

However, yesterday the HSE changed the ‘goal posts’ and  sought a commitment that IMO members would fully co-operate with the proposals by their own deadline date of 5th, November.

IMO Director of Industrial Relations, Steve Tweed said; “Information was requested by the IMO as to what plans were in place for the 5th November but, astonishingly, the HSE could not provide any details. The HSE were not even in a position to state if preliminary plans had commenced at hospital level, as required under the Croke Park Agreement, in preparation for implementation should the proposals be accepted.”

At the meeting, the IMO proposed that preliminary plans should be commenced by hospital managers and be in a position to commence the consultation process at local level once an agreement between the IMO and HSE was in place. This would be preferable to wasting further time conducting the preliminary work after an agreement was in place.

Steve Tweed said; “Inexplicably, the HSE rejected this approach and instead stated that it would be referring the full set of proposals to the Labour Court.  This is despite two outstanding issues having already been referred to the Court.”

He said; “This approach being taken by the HSE is illogical and effectively unravels the progress made last month at the LRC.”

 “The IMO are in the middle of a process and waiting for a ruling from the Labour Court on two outstanding items.  By going down the road of confrontation unnecessarily, the HSE risks losing the goodwill of Consultants and unravelling previous progress made to date.  It is difficult to understand,” said Steve Tweed.

Ends

For further information contact:

Maria Murphy

Director of Communications &

Public Affairs

Irish Medical Organisation

Tel. 01 6767 273

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