Ms Susan Clyne:

I am not sure the comparison of hospital groups on take-up of the contract tells us anything. People working in a hospital where they feel there are enough people and enough staff to implement the contract have more confidence about signing it. With regard to the contract in and of itself, it is like that if we got to 100% of consultants on the POCC something would change. Nothing would change. When the 2008 contract came in, it was lauded as the answer for our health service. There was always a public-only contract, which was the A contract. Until we put in all the wraparound services nothing will change. It was always supposed to be contract of choice. The IMO does not believe that anybody should be pressurised into changing his or her contract if they do not have to. It is a personal decision to change over to the new contract. I would say the Department of Health is quite happy with the numbers that have shifted.