Consultant status for occupational health physicians (OHPs) will be examined as part of a new taskforce, according to the HSE. However, any progress will require “separate detailed negotiations” between the HSE and IMO, an Executive spokesperson told the Medical
Independent.
OHPs are the only specialist-trained physicians in the HSE without consultant status.
The “occupational health taskforce” has a wider remit relating to future governance and operationality of HSE occupational health services. Its role includes reviewing and validating “governance design options” for services under the health regions’ structure. It is chaired by management consultant Mr Pat Harvey and includes representatives from occupational medicine, nursing, administration, trade unions, and senior management.
The taskforce will “engage” with stakeholders on consultant status, but progressing this matter will require a separate process.
An IMO spokesperson commented: “Following completion of [the taskforce], the IMO expects that a separate industrial relations process will need to be established between the IMO and HSE to advance the consultant status issue.”
They added: “Many of the issues within occupational health stem from the lack of a clear directorate structure as is the case in other specialties and areas of the health service. This structure on the medical side consists of a team of consultants reporting into a clinical director and occupational health should be no different to any specialty in this regard.”
Higher specialist training in occupational medicine is delivered through the RCPI Faculty of Occupational Medicine. Doctors who have completed training enter the specialist register of the Medical Council in the same manner as consultants in other specialties.
“Other jurisdictions, notably the UK, have long established and recognised the role of consultant occupational health physician and in order to maximise the benefits and governance of this specialty, it is vital that Ireland follows suit,” noted the IMO’s spokesperson.
In April 2024, the RCPI President Dr Diarmuid O’Shea and the then Faculty Dean Dr Sheelagh O’Brien called for “immediate action” to ensure specialists in occupational medicine could “take their place in the Irish health service as consultants alongside their colleagues in other specialties”.
Their comments followed advocacy by SpRs who warned of a loss of talent from the specialty due to this “unmerited and inexplicable” situation. They highlighted that some doctors declined places on the training programme due to the lack of consultant status. Many doctors only became aware of this anomaly during their training.
Asked for an update on engagement with the Department, an RCPI spokesperson stated: “We don’t have any update on the consultant status in this specialty which is included in our manifesto document for the new Government.”
According to the College’s manifesto document, dated July 2024, the lack of consultant status was a barrier
to recruitment and retention. This was contributing to delays in occupational health service provision within the
health service. “To meet the workforce planning needs of our health service, there is a crucial need to increase training numbers and retain these highly qualified specialists. Occupational medicine specialists undertake the same level of training and assessment as other specialties. Awarding them consultant status, in line with international standards, is the first step to recruiting and retaining
these specialists to meet the growing demand.” See news feature, p4-5.
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