The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has warned of possible industrial action by junior doctors at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin following what it says is a threat by management to restrict levels of pay for emergency cover provided by the doctors.
The move, the IMO says, is in a bid by the hospital to cut costs as it has already overrun its budget by about €19 million this year.
But the hospital last night denied emergency cover would be affected by its decision not to pay for more than 10 hours a week of unrostered overtime by non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) from October 1st.
It also said the move was in line with a HSE directive placing a ban on recruitment, overtime and use of agency staff.
Fintan Hourihan, director of industrial relations with the IMO, said the hospital had issued a directive which suggested NCHDs would only be paid for a limited amount of medical emergency attendances at the hospital. He said the directive was also introduced unilaterally and without any prior discussion with NCHDs or the IMO.
"The inevitable consequence of cutbacks in the level of emergency cover provided by NCHDs in Beaumont will be to reduce medical cover for patients to unacceptable levels . . . this policy will place patients in jeopardy," he added.
A spokesman for Beaumont said last night there was no question of the hospital suggesting it wouldn't pay overtime where warranted by emergencies. "That is not what we said," he claimed.
"What we have said to NCHDs we think is entirely reasonable and equitable . . . they will be paid for rostered overtime and up to 10 hours a week of unrostered overtime," he said.
The IMO will be highlighting the issue in talks at the Labour Relations Commission today where health unions will be challenging the HSE recruitment freeze, claiming it is in breach of Towards 2016.