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“Consultants have no issue working at weekends — in fact, they have done so for decades as part of their commitment to patient care. This is further underscored by the reality that two-thirds of all consultants have voluntarily signed up to a new contract since 2023, which explicitly includes weekend work as a core requirement. The notion that weekend care is something new for consultants is inaccurate. What we do welcome in this agreement is the provision of additional support staffing at weekends to enable our members to continue delivering care safely and effectively.    “However, it must be acknowledged that there is a finite number of consultants in the system. Simply rearranging rosters does not address the underlying and chronic issues facing our health service. The core problem remains a capacity crisis — a shortage of beds, staff, and facilities — and any initiative that suggests otherwise risks creating a misleading sense of reassurance. We will continue to support all measures that genuinely enhance access and outcomes for patients, but real solutions will require long-term investment and structural reform.”    ENDS    Aiden Corkery | aiden.corkery@finnpartners.com | (087) 0505904 

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has raised concerns that the Government’s changes to the rental sector could have a detrimental impact on essential healthcare workers such as Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs), who are required to relocate frequently throughout their training. 

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has welcomed the publication of the new report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), which highlights the pressing need to expand Ireland’s acute public hospital capacity, and said its findings align with the Association’s long-standing concerns regarding the critical shortage of hospital beds. 

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) notes the publication today of the independent audit into paediatric orthopaedic surgeries at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI). 

“The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has repeated its calls to protect the safety of civilians and health workers in Gaza, following latest reports of a risk of famine with the deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid, including food, in the ongoing 11-week blockade of the region.

Statement by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association on the release of Medical Workforce and Recruitment and Retention Reports from the HSE National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) unit The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has said that the slowdown in the growth in the number of approved Consultant post needs to be addressed if the increasing demand for specialist hospital and community care is to be adequately met.

Consultants’ symposium on psychiatry makes strategic recommendations on workable solutions to elements contained within the Mental Health Bill 2024 to empower care and enhance access to treatment for vulnerable patients.  Irish Hospital Consultants Association Vice President, Professor Anne Doherty: “While we welcome the broad principles of the Mental Health Bill, we, as an Association, have some concerns in relation to ensuring access to psychiatric services in a timely and care-oriented manner.” The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has today launched its position paper outlining concerns and a number of strategic considerations in relation to key elements of the recently published Mental Health Bill 2024.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) recognises the deep distress and hurt caused to the three children and their families, as detailed in the recent HIQA report on the governance of implantable medical devices at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) strongly condemns the recent bombing of Al Nasser Hospital, and repeats calls for all parties to uphold their obligations to protect the safety of healthcare workers and patients under international law.