Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the extra value for money she expects to be delivered to the health services as a result of the new consultants' contract; the mechanism in place to ensure that the work practices that underpin salary increases for consultants will be adhered to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45492/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The introduction of the working arrangements agreed under the new consultants' contract will result in the increased availability of senior clinical decision makers to treat and discharge patients as part of the transition to a consultant-delivered service from the present consultant-led service. The successful implementation of the new contract will improve the position of public patients in terms of their access to the public health system.

Under the contract consultants will work a 37 hour week in an extended span of the working day from 8 am to 8 pm, where appropriate, Monday to Friday; and a scheduled attendance of up to five hours where required on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. Other benefits of the new contract include:

New private practice provisions range from a total prohibition on such practice to an upper limit of 20% for newly appointed consultants (30% for existing consultants).

The introduction of Clinical Director posts across the health service.

Consultants working in teams under the leadership of Clinical Directors.

A common waiting list for outpatient diagnostics. In addition, such services are subject to the permitted ratio of public:private practice and the employer must be satisfied that billing for such services reflects the permitted ratio.

The Consultant, while clinically independent, is subject to statutory and regulatory requirements and corporate policies and procedures.

Under the contract the ratio of public to private practice will be implemented through the Clinical Directorate structure and the implementation of this ratio will be the subject of audit, including audit by my Department.

Clinical Directors will provide clinical leadership in the context of implementation and they will have a pivotal role in monitoring compliance by individual consultants with the ratio of public to private practice stipulated in their contracts, taking corrective action if the private practice limit is being exceeded.

The new contract also provides for the introduction of Clinical Directorate Service Plans. The Directorate Service Plans will cover the organisation and delivery of services at the front-line at operational level. Individual consultant's work schedules will be incorporated into the Directorate Service Plan. In developing the Directorate Service Plan the Clinical Director will determine the monthly work schedule for consultants and how each consultant's commitment will be discharged to achieve the planned level of output.