Madam, - I was dismayed to read your Editorial of May 25th on the dispute between hospital consultants and the HSE. It shows a lack of insight into the contract on offer from the HSE and into current practice.
Despite your statement that consultants have "obstructed necessary reforms" to "protect lucrative private practices", 64 per cent of hospital consultants currently have Category 1 contracts, depriving them of access to these private practices. These consultants do have access to private patients within their own hospitals (to a maximum of 20 per cent of their total work), which the HSE is obviously happy to allow, as it wants to continue this system under the new title of "Type B Consultant Contract".
Despite continual media claims to the contrary, doctors do not object in principle to public-only contracts as these have existed before. Indeed, the HSE unilaterally withdrew the "Geographical Wholetime (without fees)" contract in 1997, against the wishes of consultants.
Certainly, consultant numbers need to be increased. However, the HSE has obstructed the creation of part-time, "family friendly" contracts which would encourage more women to remain in hospital practice. This is particularly relevant as more than 50 per cent of current medical graduates are women.
If you would care to fully read the HSE-proposed (or imposed) contract, you would realise that doctors do not object to public versus private practice reform, but to the other clauses that will mean consultants are no longer answerable to their patients, but to the CEO of the hospital. Clinical independence towards patient care is under threat with this contract, and consultants are doing the patients of Ireland a great service by preventing this. - Yours, etc,
Dr ALAN BRODERICK, Grange Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.