The Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) has today accused the Minister for Health of misleading the public about its dispute with the Government.
Speaking today, former IHCA president Dr John Keaveny said Mary Harney had spent "hundreds of thousands" of euros in the past couple of years "throwing out a line" that the dispute centred on money. "But it's not about money," he said.
Dr Mary McCaffrey, IHCA president, said the main issue of concern was the consultant's right to advocate on behalf of his or her patients.
Yesterday the union, which represents around 1,650 consultants in Ireland, withdrew from consultant contract talks in protest at Ms Harney's decision to recruit new consultants on terms that have not been agreed by their union.
In a statement, the IHCA said it regretted that it was "left with no other option but to withdraw from the contract negotiations" after it was confirmed that the HSE would proceed with plans to recruit 50 consultants under contracts the union said were "imposed and incomplete".
The IHCA said it had "at all times stated quite definitively that we would not and could not undermine the standing of the profession through making any concession on . . . areas which constitute the ethical nature of medicine".
It said these areas were:
- Independence of clinical thought and judgment
- The doctor-patient relationship of trust and confidence
- The right to advocate publicly on behalf of patients as appropriate
IHCA secretary general Finbarr Fitzpatrick said he hoped "there is public understanding that there is an ethical issue here" and that the Minister was attempting, via the new contracts, to impose control over medical consultants.
"It is a doctor's right to advocate and to speak publicly," he said. "What the Minister is looking for is to tell you what you do, how you do it and where you do it."
The national council of the IHCA will meet on Sunday in Dublin to discuss what action it intends to take next. It has already warned hospitals that consultants may withdraw their co-operation with administration and management duties from Sunday.
The Irish Medical Organisation, which represents around 600 Irish consultants, said it does not intend to withdraw from contract talks with the Government.