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Strike plan still stands
[Posted: Sat 02/04/2005 - www.irishhealth.com]
By Niall Hunter in Killarney
Consultant members of the IMO have stressed that they have not withdrawn their notice to strike over the malpractice insurance issue; they have merely deferred giving notice until May 13.
IMO Vice President Dr Christine O'Malley told the IMO annual conference in Killarney that both the IMO and the other consultant body, the IHCA, jointly lodged strike notice last month.
However, she said 48 hours later, the IHCA withdrew its strike notice, but the IMO did not.
Dr O'Malley said the IMO then met with the Minister for Health to discuss the medical insurance issue. It was a useful meeting at which a number of verbal assurances on indemnity cover were given.
She said the IMO then sought further clarification from the Department on a number of issues but while it decided to defer its industrial action for two months, it is still seeking further discussions on a number of issues which have not been clarified, as what was given in writing by the Minister after the meeting did not contain the same assurances that had been given at the meeting.
Dr O'Malley said the strike action was also deferred in view of the current 'administrative upheaval' in the Department of Health.
Consultants at the meeting also slammed the Department of Health for breaching consultants' contracts by introducing a state insurance scheme for all hospital consultants last year without prior agreement.
While Tanaiste Mary Harney has given assurances that no consultant or patient will be left uncovered for malpractice cases prior to the introduction of the state scheme, the IMO says there are a number of aspects about the scheme and about the Minister's assurances on cover for historic cases which still need to be clarified.
The meeting also condemned the bad state of industrial relations in the health service at present.
Dr O'Malley pointed out that in recent years, junior doctors and public health doctors had had to go on strike, nurses had gone on strike, and consultants gave notice of strike action.
Cork consultant physician and former IMO President Dr Neil Brennan strongly criticised the Department of Health at the conference.
He claimed the Department of Health was 'completely dysfunctional', and was understaffed.
Dr Brennan said this country did not have a system, as existed in France, where civil servants were educated in public administration, and whereby nobody could get to the top of the civil service without receiving formal training through such a system on how to run a service.
He said politicians too, did not have any training on how to run an organisation and this was a ludicrous way to run a health service.
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