Anaesthesiology and general med have most consultants move to new contract

Anaesthesiology and general medicine have seen the highest number of consultants switching to the public-only consultant contract (POCC), according to figures obtained by the Medical Independent (MI).

As of 5 June, among the existing consultants who had switched, 269 were in anaesthesiology, 227 in general medicine, 166 in radiology, 122 in paediatrics, 82 in general surgery, 80 in histopathology, and 77 in geriatric medicine. The majority of consultants who switched had previously held a type B contract, with over 1,200 making the move.

As previously reported in this newspaper, at the beginning of June the HSE said, in total, 2,297 consultants had signed the POCC.

Of those, 486 were new entrants and 1,811 were a result of a change in contract.

The National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) Medical Workforce Analysis Report 2023-2024 highlighted that there is “a wide variation” in the numbers of consultants, “in each medical discipline” who switched to the new contract.

The NDTP figures showed that anaesthesiology and intensive care medicine had the highest percentage of consultants adopting the POCC by the end of last year, with 42 per cent in these specialties taking up the new contract. In contrast, only 19 per cent of obstetrics and gynaecology consultants made the switch.

Separately, an increase in workload for the consultant applications advisory committee (CAAC) was acknowledged by the HSE National Director of Human Resources, Ms Anne Marie Hoey, in a letter to CAAC Chair, Prof Áine Carroll.

Prof Carroll sent a copy of the committee’s 2023 annual report to Ms Hoey and a cover letter on 14 February, seen by MI through Freedom of Information.

The POCC’s implementation led to the inclusion of public health and dentistry specialties in the committee, which reviewed nearly 440 applications last year. Prof Carroll described 2023 as “another busy year” for the CAAC, while, in her response, Ms Hoey noted the “significant” impact of the POCC on the committee’s activities.