Minister for Health Simon Harris has proposed talks with hospital consultants commencing next week on healthcare reforms but not specifically on ending the lower -pay rates in place for specialists recruited over recent years. The Minister suggested in his letter the talks could consider the broader Slaintecare reforms and the proposals on eliminating private medicine from public hospitals as proposed in the recent De Buitleir report. “My views on pay parity for consultants is clear. It is unfair and it is having an impact on recruitment and retention of highly skilled doctors,” he told The Irish Times at the time. Medical organisations maintain introducing pay parity for all consultants would cost about €40 million.

Source: The Irish Times October 01, 2019 12:11 UTC