Health

Daniel Murray: Pay hike not yet enough to convince consultants to work on weekends

In spite of a salary win in public contract, doctors have been ‘spooked’ by lack of clear limits on weekend rosters

New consultants have had to take the Sláintecare contract in the last three months, but are still 3,700 existing consultants working in Irish hospitals who will have to be convinced to switch over. Picture: Getty

Negotiations over the consultant doctors’ contract started to great fanfare back in 2020, and finished at the end of 2022 with a whimper.

The outcome was a contract offering attractive salaries of up to €257,000 a year for public-only consultants, but less attractive terms and conditions in the eyes of some, such as weekend and evening work.

Despite talks effectively breaking down with the doctors’ groups last year, the contract has been implemented since March ...