Wicklow T.D. Concerned At Number Of Posts Held By Non-Consultants

Fianna Fáil’s spokesperson on Health Stephen Donnelly has expressed concerns...

Deputy Donnelly put down a parliamentary question to the Health Minister on the issue and was told that almost half of all consultant posts in the Midlands Mental Health Services are non-specialist consultants, while South Tipperary General Hospital saw an increase in non-specialised consultants up from nine to ten in the last year.

Last year the President of  the High Court referred to it as a scandalous practice and hoped that the HSE and Department would act to bring a speedy end to the situation.

Deputy Donnelly says it’s the same as someone passing out of Templemore Training College, working as a Garda for two years and then suddenly being made a Chief Superintendent without any of the stages in between. But he says in the case of hospitals it’s a matter of Patient’s well-being.