A specialist in public health
medicine has expressed disappointment at the breakdown of talks on consultant
status and contracts for public health specialists.
Speaking to the Medical
Independent (MI), Dr Marie Casey said: “It’s really disappointing to
see that contract negotiations have stalled”.
“This is despite specialists in
public health medicine committing to increased leadership responsibilities and
despite their extraordinary commitment to protecting the health of people of
Ireland over recent months”.
The IMO has balloted public health specialists as part of
efforts to secure consultant status and contracts in line with recommendations
set out in the 2018 Crowe Horwath Review.
The closing date for return of ballots of IMO public health
medicine members is the 27 November, with results expected to be announced on
that date.
Results of the ballot will be considered by the IMO’s public
health medicine committee and, in circumstances where the ballot is in favour
of industrial action, the committee will consider the nature and timing of
action and advise members.
Dr Casey lamented that strike
action would be likely following the ballot but still expressed hope that
action could be avoided.
“Unfortunately, there are 17
years of broken promises behind us, making strike action more likely than not,
although I would hope that this could be averted.”
According to an IMO spokesman, in the event of industrial action
the HSE will be advised.
No meetings are planned with Department of Health officials and
no invitations have been received by the IMO from the Department following the
breakdown in talks in October, the spokesman confirmed.
Given the level of dissatisfaction and growing frustration among
public health specialists at the lack of progress in negotiations to date, it
is expected that support for industrial action will be granted.
Public health doctors have widely condemned the lack of progress
in talks, with many now believed to be exploring job offers from abroad and
private companies.
It is understood that a new model for public health has been
developed by the HSE and that negotiations were originally due to conclude in
July. However, the Department has not introduced the measures recommended in the
Crowe Horwath report.
Public health doctors are seeking
consultant status in line with their medical colleagues and improved work
models for the profession, as recommended in the 2018 Department of Health
commissioned Crowe Howarth report.
According to the HSE, there are 77 public health doctors permanently employed
as specialists/directors in public health medicine, with a further 27
specialist registrars in public health medicine currently engaged in training.
The HSE recently launched a recruitment campaign seeking health
protection nursing roles in public health. Meanwhile a campaign to hire
surveillance scientists is due to launch before the end of 2020.
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