IMO to put hospital consultant pay proposals to ballot

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) is to put new proposals on a pay and career structure for hospital consultants out to a ballot of members without recommendation.

The decision was made at a joint meeting of its consultant and non–consultant hospital doctor committees last night.

Under the proposals, which were put forward last week by the Labour Relations Commission, pay for consultants working exclusively in the public hospital system would rise from an existing scale of €116,000- €121,000 to between €127,000 and €175,000 over time. However the deal would allow consultants with experience to be appointed at an entry level of up to €155,000.

In a statement, the IMO said it had “continuously highlighted the real crisis in the Irish health services” in terms of the recruitment and retention of Irish trained doctors.

“[It is] a crisis that has been exacerbated by the 30 per cent pay cut unilaterally imposed on new entrants in 2012.

“While acknowledging that these proposals are an improvement on the existing terms they do not restore full parity among the consultant body.

“The two committees agreed that the LRC proposals merit detailed consideration by members and therefore a ballot will issue in the coming weeks.

“The proposals will now issue with no recommendation from the IMO,” said the statement.