Consultant representative bodies have warned weekend rostering alone will not shorten delays patients have in accessing treatment or reduce emergency department crowding.
The Chair of the IMO consultant committee Prof Matthew Sadlier said that no doctor rostering can take place outside of existing contractual arrangements.
The IMO has been in recent discussions with the HSE regarding weekend work.
The Organisation has confirmed that there has been no change to the contractual provisions already in place.
Consultants on the new public-only contract may be rostered over six days from Monday to Saturday. Meanwhile, those on older contracts may be rostered in line with their contractual provisions.
Prof Sadlier said: “While we recognise the need to extend services to the weekend, the presence of staff on these days will not be enough to alleviate the long delays for patients. We desperately need to see wholescale recruitment of staff and the elimination of the effective recruitment freeze. We also need greater capacity in acute beds so that all patients, once deemed ill enough to be admitted, can be moved to an appropriate bed and treated in the right setting.”
He warned that weekend rostering cannot come at the expense of weekday treatment.
“The IMO is not ideologically opposed to extended services, but their introduction cannot be based on robbing Peter to pay Paul where there may be a reduction in services on other days. If the HSE and Government want extended services, they must invest in workforce and capacity and ensure that all services are safe for those working in them and using them.”
Meanwhile, in a statement, the IHCA said consultants have no issue working at weekends and have done so for decades as part of their commitment to patient care.
“This is further underscored by the reality that two-thirds of all consultants have voluntarily signed up to a new contract since 2023, which explicitly includes weekend work as a core requirement. The notion that weekend care is something new for consultants is inaccurate.”
The IHCA added it welcomed the agreement to provide additional support staffing at weekends to enable its members to continue delivering care safely and effectively.
“However, it must be acknowledged that there is a finite number of consultants in the system,” according to the Association.
“Simply rearranging rosters does not address the underlying and chronic issues facing our health service. The core problem remains a capacity crisis – a shortage of beds, staff, and facilities – and any initiative that suggests otherwise risks creating a misleading sense of reassurance. We will continue to support all measures that genuinely enhance access and outcomes for patients, but real solutions will require long-term investment and structural reform. “
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