Recommendations due on future role of public health SMOs

Recommendations regarding the future role of senior medical officers (SMOs) in public health are expected shortly.

According to the HSE, a survey of SMOs in public health has been conducted by the RCPI Faculty of Public Health Medicine in collaboration with the National Director of Public Health.

The report of the findings was presented to all SMOs in public health in December. A HSE spokesperson told the Medical Independent that the Faculty and HSE Public Health will finalise recommendations based on the survey findings. These recommendations “will be progressed by the National Director of Public Health”.

At the IMO’s AGM last year, the Organisation’s public health committee passed a motion calling on the HSE and Department of Health to conduct a review of the SMO role “with a view to improving the terms and conditions, career pathway, and training opportunities”.

 The Chair of the IMO public health committee Dr Anne Dee told the AGM: “If it is not seen as a satisfying career with opportunities, with appropriate remuneration and appropriate respect, then people aren’t going to go into it.”

The HSE spokesperson said there had been an “incremental increase” in SMOs working within public health in recent years. In January 2020, there were 23.7 whole-time equivalent (WTE) SMOs and a headcount of 28. Currently, there are 40.88 WTEs and a headcount of 46.