There was a mixed reaction to the launch of the Health Reform Service programme today, with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) welcoming the proposals, while SIPTU expressed reservations about whether the measures would improve the service to the public.
Speaking after a briefing of health unions this morning, IMO chief executive Mr George McNeice said real and tangible improvements in the delivery of health service had to be seen before the reforms could be judged a success.
He said the programme must ensure that the health sector has better, more streamline management in an area which has suffered "from increasing bureaucracy."
The IMO said doctors were willing to discuss work practice changes and supported the re-introduction of contracts for consultants who would be paid only for treating public patients.
But Mr McNeice said the IMO would continue to argue that this option needs to be made available in addition to the current arrangements which combine public and private medical practice arrangements and needs to be priced accordingly.
Meanwhile SIPTU claimed there will be no significant improvements in the health system despite today's announcement by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin and the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy.
The union's National Industrial Secretary Mr Matt Merrigan said the proposals will take around three years to implement, but no additional funding has been allocated to cope with the present difficulties within the health system.
Mr Merrigan said that without the final report on medical manpower from the Hanley review, dealing with the common contract for consultant and medical grades, the complete picture of the Minister for Health's programme could not be seen.
He said the union was calling on the Minister to begin immediate talks to consider the introduction of protocol agreements, which he said should form the basis of a framework for the revision of structures within the Health Boards and the merging of other health agencies into the proposed new Health Service Executive.