There has been a “steady” increase in the number of consultants switching to the new public-only consultant contract (POCC23) despite a “cumbersome process”, which can last six-to-eight weeks, this newspaper has been informed.
Prof Matthew Sadlier, Chair of the IMO consultant committee, told the Medical Independent there was a “steady stream of consultants” looking to switch over to the POCC23.
However, he added that some consultants and clinical directors had described the changing of contract as quite a “cumbersome process”.
Prof Sadlier said the IMO was “disappointed” that the HSE stated it will pay the increased salary “only by the time [consultants] start the contract, rather than the time they applied to move to the new contract”. Prof Sadlier said that consultants should not be “punished” in relation to the time it takes to switch over.
By 29 August, 419 consultants in total had signed the POCC23. Some 294 of these were existing consultants who had changed contract and 125 were new contract holders.
Six months since the introduction of the POCC23,
a HSE spokesperson described “a steady increase week-on-week” of consultants signing up. The spokesperson added there has been “considerable interest” from consultants regarding getting details of the new contract. See news feature
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