The decision by hospital consultants to proceed with industrial action that will impact directly on patient care represents a serious threat to the health of thousands of people in the State.
The leaders of both the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) have indicated that should the strike go ahead on March 14th, it will affect at least 50,000 patients every week. Unlike a year ago, when the IHCA began limited industrial action over the issue of medical malpractice cover, it is clear from yesterday's extraordinary general meeting that IHCA members want to impart a "short, sharp shock" to the Government in order to resolve the issue. And while the IMO, which represents about 25 per cent of hospital consultants, has voted in favour of cancelling outpatient appointments and elective procedures, IHCA members are likely to ballot for action that stops just short of an all-out strike. Both organisations have pledged to act in unison, but for now it appears that should industrial action proceed, many hospitals will be manned by just one consultant from each speciality.
The Medical Defence Union (MDU), which accepted premiums from doctors in the past, walked from the pitch last week, accusing the Department of "mishandling" and "prolonging" negotiations to decide who was responsible for doctors' past liabilities.
Consultants say they require a legally binding undertaking so that no doctor or patient will be left without malpractice cover. To date 25 consultants have been refused assistance by the MDU as part of its response to the impasse. Doctors are also highly critical of the decision one year ago to unilaterally introduce a state-run system of clinical indemnity which they maintain was in breach of the consultant common contract.
The Minister for Health, Ms Harney, says that should she provide a comprehensive legal guarantee to doctors, this would prevent the Department from recovering the estimated €400 million cost of past liabilities from the MDU. And while she has offered to seek Cabinet approval for a letter of comfort she sent to consultants last October, which stated that "no Irish person who has suffered from a medical mishap would be left without compensation and no consultant would be left without cover in all reasonable circumstances and in accordance with the law", Ms Harney maintains that she cannot ask the government to write a blank cheque to resolve the issue.
The clock is now ticking on major industrial action in the health service. Its effect will be to place intolerable pressure on an already creaking hospital system. But patients cannot be allowed to suffer even more than they already have at the hands of our dysfunctional health system. Both the Minister for Health and the medical representative organisations must do everything in their power to prevent a strike that has the potential to affect the most vulnerable in our society.