Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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169. To ask the Minister for Health the systems in place for the oversight of the hospital consultant contracts; the accountability structures which exist to ensure compliance with this contract; and if he is satisfied that this operates properly. [49811/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Arrangements concerning implementation and monitoring of Consultant Contract 2008 including the provisions in relation to private practice are matters for the HSE in the first instance. The responsibility for reporting individual consultant compliance with their contract was formally delegated to the Hospital Groups in 2014. The main reason for this was to ensure local accountability. Hospitals know their consultants and the work they deliver.

However it seems clear that the arrangements in place are not robust enough to deliver compliance in all circumstances and, as a result, some consultants are able to engage in private practice activity at levels that significantly exceed the permitted levels, or else they may engage in significant levels of off-site private practice, although their contract does not provide for this. It is incumbent on publicly-funded hospitals to ensure compliance with the terms of the contract, including the provisions in relation to private practice. For some time my Department has been working closely with the HSE on this.

I am very clear that consultants must deliver their work commitment to the public system. It is the responsibility of management to make sure these contracts are being enforced and I have asked the HSE to ensure that more robust measures are in place in 2018 to make sure consultants comply with their contractual obligations. I will require absolute assurances on this point.

In the longer term I have established an independent group, chaired by Dr Donal de Buitléir, to examine the impact of separating private practice from the public hospital system. This was one of the key recommendations of the Sláintecare Report.