Consultant contract uptake ‘largest’ in General Medicine, Anaesthetics and Surgery

Some 1,548 consultants have signed the new public-only consultant contract (POCC23) according to new figures from the Department of Health.

The top three specialities that are seeing the largest uptake of the contract to date are General Medicine, Anaesthetics and Surgery.

The new uptake figures mean that more than 35 per cent of the total number of consultants working across the health service are now on the new contract. The Department said “hundreds more” applicants are also being processed by the HSE.

There are 4,235 consultants whole-time equivalents (WTE) currently working in the public health service, compared to 3,250 consultants (WTE) in December 2019.

The 1,548 POCC23 holders includes 306 new entrant consultants who have joined the health service and 1,242 consultants who have switched from their previous contracts.

“I am delighted to see the positive response to the…contract, ” said Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly on news of the new uptake figures.

“This new contract is facilitating a transition away from the provision of private care in public hospitals and ensuring that state resources are provided in accordance with patient need rather than a patient’s ability to pay.”