Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021
768. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the reason senior public health doctors have a different contract to their hospital-based colleagues with same qualifications and parity of recognition by the academic body and the statutory body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44712/20]
View answer769. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if specialist doctors in public health medicine are equally qualified as those in hospital medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44713/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 768 and 769 together.
Notwithstanding the fact that public health specialists are registered on the Medical Council's Specialist Register, having undergone specialist training in a manner similar to hospital based consultants, their historical career pathway under the public health structures in place did not result in consultant status.
Consultant status for public health specialists under a new public health framework was recommended in the Crowe Horwath Report on the Specialty published in December 2018. That Report followed on from MacCraith Report that recommended, inter alia, examination of the current and future role of health specialists in Ireland and the attractiveness of public health as a career option.
I, my Department and the HSE are committed to the early introduction of a new framework for public healthcare, as recommended by Crowe Horwath and as also provided for in the Programme for Government. This will involve the establishment of a consultant-led public health model.
My Department is working intensively with the HSE on finalisation of the future model of public health and with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to consultant status for those taking up leadership roles within it as provided for in Crowe Horwath.
Public health specialists have and continue to play a crucial role at the forefront of Ireland’s response to the pandemic at national and regional levels. Establishing the Public Health Consultant grade in 2021 is a key priority for me, my Department and the HSE.
