The IMO has, on behalf of consultants and trainees, been involved in negotiations with the Department of Health and the HSE for over a year on a new consultant contract.

Based on the feedback and views of members on the original DRAFT proposals issued by the State in May 2021 we have succeeded in securing significant changes in terms of:

• Equitable pay for all those consultants taking the new contract addressing the pay gap between those recruited on a lower scale since 2012
• Reducing the potential hours that a consultant can be rostered – State sought to have consultants rostered 24/7
• Development of Rostering Principles to protect both consultants and patients from unsafe or inequitable rostering arrangements
• Securing the restoration of core hours to 37 per week
• Overtime can only be by agreement with the consultant and not “required” by the employer
• Removing ability of employer to relocate consultants to other sites without any consultation – this must now only be in exceptional circumstances and for a limited period taking account of consultant’s circumstances
• Reduction in the incremental points on the scale to 6 points (from 9)
• Significant Improvements in CME funding
• Improvements in on call allowances (B and C Factor) 
• Addressing the inequity of different pay for consultants based on an arbitrary date of appointment
• Removing the restrictions on consultants in terms of advocacy
• Ensuring Intellectual Property clauses are equitable and in line with previous agreements
• Option to allow access to off site private practice once the contractual commitments are completed. This is much simpler than the current Type C option, and does not involve any pay reductions.   
• In recognition of the important non-clinical roles, up to 25% of a Consultants time (on average) in the work plan will be for non-clinical activities including teaching, research, professional development 

We strongly resisted any attempt to undermine the consultant common contract where the State sought to target certain specialties for more onerous hours. 

In these negotiations our objectives were to attempt to secure contractual terms that will alleviate the chronic consultant recruitment and retention crisis with over 900 vacancies in the system and ensure an end to a two tier pay system for those on new contract terms. 

There are significant asks of consultants and challenges of implementation within these terms, in particular the hours for which a consultant can be rostered given the current level of staffing so a significant increase in consultant numbers will be required. 

It is important to note that consultants under current contract are NOT obliged to change to the new contract but can do so if they wish.

The IMO will be offering an individual service to members to assess what any transition will mean for you to enable you to decide on whether or not you wish to avail of the new terms.

The IMO will continue to support those who choose not to change contracts and wish to vindicate the terms of those contracts.

 

The current contract document is subject to further textual drafting, and we will be issuing full documentation once that process has been completed.  In the meantime, the following is a summary of the offering from the State however further detail will be provided to members and we will be engaging with both consultants and trainees. 

In terms of existing contract holders, the decision on whether or not to switch to the new contract will be based on individual circumstances and as stated earlier the IMO will be offering an individual based service in this regard.

 

Hours of Work

 

Consultants will be rostered for 37 hours per week over the following hours:

• Monday to Friday: 8am -10pm
• Saturdays: 8am – 6pm
• There will be at least two consecutive days per week where there are no rostered hours
• Participation in an on-call roster will attract B factors and C factors for callouts (as below)
• Scheduled hours beyond the 37 (overtime) will be paid at an overtime rate and will be     voluntary. 

 

Rostering must be managed in line with agreed Rostering Principles which will ensure that Clinical Directors and Management must take account of staffing levels, safety, equity within the team in the development of rosters and individual consultants may take a grievance if the rosters are not in line with the agreed principles.

 

 

Pay

 

 Salary:

1	€209,915
2	€221,261
3	€233,239
4	€239,543
5	€245,846
6	€252,150

 

Academic Salary Scales:

 

Professor		Lecturer
1	€258,007	1	€226,139
2	€271,963	2	€240,096
3	€286,674	3	€251,266
4	€294,427	4	€259,020
5	€302,181	5	€266,773
6	€309,934	6	€274,527
Associate Professor		College Lecturer
1	€242,036	1	€221,876
2	€255,993	2	€235,833
3	€268,929	3	€246,529
4	€276,683	4	€254,283
5	€284,436	5	€262,036
6	€292,190	6	€269,790

 

 

On-call payments:

 

B factor		C Factor (call out):
Flat annual payment	€10,000	Per call out (hourly rate or part thereof)
In addition to the flat annual payment as per rota:		First 30 call-outs	€107.70
1 in 3	€2,900	31 – 120 call-outs	€161.55
1 in 2	€8,200	121 calls or more	€215.39
1 in 1	€10,800	If the call out occurs after midnight
		First 30 call-outs	€134.62
		31 – 120 call-outs	€201.93
		121 calls or more	€269.24
		Annual limit	€38,000

 

 

 

 

• Overtime: Overtime where requested by employer Monday to Saturday at 1.5 times the normal hourly rate; x2 for overtime hours on a Sunday and Public Holiday
• Twilight Payments: for rostered hours between 8pm and 10pm Monday to Friday the premium of an additional 1/6^th of the Employee’s hourly rate of pay will apply. THs applies to core hours.   
• CME:  €12,000 per year 
• Innovation Fund: There will also be an annual €8,000 under a new innovation fund, which can be individual or pooled by groups of consultants in a specialty or service and aimed at supporting areas such as research. Payments will be subject an Innovation Fund Scheme and operated by the speciality/service.

 

 Transitional Arrangements

 

• Existing consultants who switch contract will move to the same point that they are on under their existing contract, increment date to remain as in original contract.

 

• All elements of the new contract will apply to all consultants who switch to the new contract from date of signing – with the exception of the wind down period for private practice in the public system.

 

•  Those who have switched on or by 31 December 2023 will have a right to continue to treat private patients in public hospitals up to 31 December 2025 (i.e. between 2 and 3 years depending on the date of switch). There will be a progressive reduction in the volume of private practice during this period of time. Systems and arrangements to track and monitor this will be developed by the HSE and the IMO will continue to represent consultants in ensuring such measure are appropriate.

 

• By 31^st December 2024 private practice in the public hospital to reduce to 10% (currently limited to 20%)
• By 31^st December 2025 private practice in the public hospital to have ceased for those taking the new contract.

 

• Any consultant who switches after 31 December 2023 will have 6 months to wind down their on-site private practice.

 

 

Change of Contract compensation (in accordance with the PSA)

 

If any consultant suffers a financial loss in respect of their B and C factor on-call payments arising from the restructuring of their working times, as a result of moving to the new contract, they will be entitled to 1.5 times this loss as a one-off payment.

 

IMO MEMBER ADVISORY TEAM

Pending the circulation of the final contract please contact our member advisory team with any queries on the above on 01 6767273 or email to consultants@imo.ie

If you would like to make an appointment for an individual consultation in terms of transitioning to a new contract, please contact consultants@imo.ie.