Just one in seven public consultants working Saturdays

Just one in seven public consultants working Saturdays According to data released by the Health Service Executive (HSE), only 14% of consultants on the public-only contract are currently working on Saturdays. The figures, which cover over 3,200 consultants who have signed up to the agreement, reveal that just 38% are working extended day shifts beyond regular weekday hours. These numbers were disclosed in a recent update by RTÉ News, highlighting a slow uptake of the policy aimed at improving access to healthcare services outside standard business hours. The public-only consultant contract was introduced more than three years ago with the goal of optimizing the use of hospital facilities and increasing availability for patient care during evenings and weekends. Despite these intentions, the latest statistics indicate that the desired shift towards round-the-clock care has not yet materialized. Hospitals across Ireland continue to face challenges in managing patient demand, particularly as the winter season approaches and pressures on emergency services are expected to rise. Public officials have expressed concern over the low participation rate among consultants. Padraig Rice, a spokesperson for the Social Democrats on health issues, criticized the current situation, stating that the implementation of the new contract is falling short of expectations. He emphasized that consultants who have agreed to the terms should fully comply with the schedule, including working on weekends and extending their hours. “It’s unacceptable that only one in seven hospital consultants on the new contracts are working on the weekend,” he said. “A core part of the reform under the new public-only contract was extended hours on evenings and weekends.” Rice further called on the government to remove restrictions on hiring, noting that hundreds of positions remain unfilled in major hospitals such as Cork University Hospital. He argued that the existing recruitment freeze is preventing hospitals from staffing adequately and creating a seven-day health care system. “We have seen now repeated breaches of these contracts and it’s utterly unacceptable,” he added. “We need to see this changed.” The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) echoed similar concerns, stressing the need for additional support during weekends. Professor Mick Molloy, a consultant in emergency medicine and chair of the IMO’s consultants committee, explained the logistical difficulties faced by medical professionals. “If you want to roster scheduled work such as outpatients’ clinics at weekends, it does require a team of people to make that work effectively,” he said. “You can bring a consultant in and run a clinic, but without adequate administrative and nursing support, the number of patients seen will be significantly reduced.” Molloy pointed out that scheduling a consultant for a Saturday appointment often requires adjusting their workload during the week, which can lead to disruptions in patient care. “In a scenario where patients have been given outpatient appointments for a year or two years in advance, you’re now cancelling clinics on another day and it will not serve the purpose that was intended unless we get sufficient staff to run all these clinics,” he warned. This highlights the complex interplay between policy design, resource allocation, and clinical practice in achieving the goals of the public-only contract. As the healthcare sector prepares for seasonal strain, the debate over staffing levels and operational flexibility continues. With ongoing calls for action from both political representatives and medical professionals, the focus remains on ensuring that the reforms intended to improve access to care are realized in practice.