Vol. 555 No. 2
99 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he is taking to seek a resolution of the dispute involving junior hospital doctors over the decision by hospitals to introduce a new roster which the doctors believe will affect their medical training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18060/02]
Non-consultant hospital doctors currently work an average of 77 hours per week. The EU Working Time Directive requires that this be reduced to 58 hours per week by August 2004, with maximum average of 48 hours per week to be achieved by August 2009. In order to ensure the health and safety of hospital doctors and to ensure the care and safety of patients, health service employers have taken steps to introduce rosters to reduce the working hours of doctors. These rosters have been drawn up in line with the 2000 agreement, reached with the IMO under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, and in line with the requirements of the European Working Time Directive.
The industrial action taken to date and the threat of further such action the Irish Medical Organisation is unjustified, unnecessary and disproportionate. Employers are implementing rosters which are necessary to meet the requirements of the EU Working Time Directive and are based on agreements already reached with the IMO.
The IMO claims that the new rosters will reduce NCHD training time. This is not in fact the case. Hospitals are as a matter of course inspected by the medical training bodies which set out criteria for approval of training posts. These criteria include specifications in relation to hours to be worked. The most common requirement is that doctors should not be required to work for continuous long periods without break, as tired doctors cannot be expected to assimilate what they learn in training. Health service employers are ensuring, and will continue to ensure, that rosters are being designed to protect training time whilst ensuring patient care and safety as well as the health and safety of the doctors concerned.
The 3,800 NCHDs currently employed in the health service are among the highest earners in the public sector. The current pay bill for NCHDs is almost €400 million with over €100 million being paid in overtime. On average an NCHD can expect to earn €90,000 per annum. These earnings vary considerably depending on the grade of NCHD, for example, average earnings for an intern are currently €70,000, whereas average earnings for a specialist registrar are currently €147,000. Some 62% of NCHD salary costs arise from overtime payments. NCHDs, under the 2000 agreement, also receive generous training grants and time off for exam and study leave.
The basic issue at the heart of this dispute is the IMO's contention that hospital doctors must be paid overtime for every hour worked outside the 9 am to 5 pm timeframe whether or not the doctor has completed a basic 39 hour week. As the health service is provided on a 24 hour basis, health service employers must manage their resources to meet the needs of patients over the 24 hour period. Health service employers must be able to roster doctors and other health service staff to match service requirements. I regret that the IMO withdrew from a Labour Court hearing on the overtime issue, which had been arranged by agreement with both sides. I would, therefore, urge the IMO to re-enter this process as a matter of urgency.
During the recent talks at the Labour Relations Commission, health service employers suggested an approach whereby local arrangements aimed at implementing rosters, which would both meet the requirement to reduce hours and meet the concerns of the IMO regarding training issues, could be implemented. Unfortunately the IMO has chosen to reject this proposal, resulting in the breakdown of the talks at the LRC. However the Health Service Employers Agency remains available to re-enter talks at the LRC or Labour Court, if and when required.
The resolution of this dispute lies in the acceptance by the IMO that hospitals are run for the purpose of providing a service to patients. Rosters will be implemented which ensure appropriate levels of medical staffing to meet the needs of patient care whilst also meeting the health and safety requirements of the 2000 agreement and the working time directive. I again urge the IMO to enter into meaningful talks aimed at resolving this unnecessary dispute and to support health service employers in improving conditions for both doctors and patients.
