More than 1,500 Irish consultants, representing 35% of the consultant workforce, have signed the new public-only Sláintecare contract. This includes 306 new consultants and 1,242 who switched from previous contracts. The top three specialties choosing the new contract are general medicine, anaesthetics, and surgery. This contract means consultants will only treat public patients in public hospitals and introduces a 37-hour work week with a basic pay of €217,325 – €261,051. The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, stated that this contract will transition away from private care in public hospitals, ensuring resources are provided according to patient need rather than ability to pay. There are currently 4,235 consultants working in the public health service, an increase of almost 1,000 since December 2019.
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One-in-three consultants sign up to Sláintecare contract
