The new association said in a note on its website that it began as “a loose group of like-minded doctors in April 2020”., at the time of the anticipated Covid pandemic, signed up unilaterally to a HSE government contract without full-time private practice consultants being meaningfully involved in the decision-making process. Likewise, the medical representative associations did not become, in our opinion, robustly involved on behalf of full-time private practice doctors.
“While generally initially welcomed, as a means of addressing urgent bed capacity issues in the public hospitals, it became immediately apparent that consultants were unexpectedly placed under enormous state pressure to sign up to a public- only A contract preventing maintenance of continuity of patient care. This had particular relevance for those patients normally seen in the outpatient office setting. Access to inpatient care was hindered by temporary withdrawal of State indemnity.
The association said its main objectives would be to “ represent the professional character and professional interests of medical and dental consultants and to provide them with all relevant services to the development of a caring and effective health service, putting the patients at the centre of its activities”.
It said it would aim to “promote, and protect by all lawful means, the rights and interests of medical and dental consultants and to negotiate with relevant insurance bodies, private hospitals and relevant State entities and key stakeholders on behalf of members”.
Impeccable timing. 😂 😂 😂 😂