New hospital consultant posts should be public only

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Speaking as the Irish Hospital Consultants Association began industrial action this week, Sinn Féin Health Spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD said that Sinn Féin supports the introduction of a new contract to ensure that all new hospital consultant posts are public only.
“We currently have a situation where hospital consultants are being paid on the double to work in the public and private sector without proper accountability for their work in the public system. Those paying privately for care get faster and better treatment by specialists. Those in the public hospital system wait longer and tend to be treated by non-consultant hospital doctors. It is vital that more consultants are urgently recruited”, Ó Caoláin said.
“We would immediately introduce a new contract for hospital consultants to guarantee equity for public patients and ensure that all new hospital consultant posts are public-only”, he said.