very well put!
paul howarth
cons A/E
cornwall
-----Original Message-----
From: Andres Izquierdo Martin [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, July 06, 2002 01:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Consultant Contract
Hi
I am worry that the list is not debating the consultant contract enough. For
this reason, I would like to forward a few comments :
1 - A job plan can be forced if there is not agreement between the Trust and
a consultant. As the contract read, the job plan has to be agreed, "if
possible". The appeal process will be local, but the framework of this
appeal has not even been decided yet (Doh!).
2- The Trust has full power to link pay progression to consultant
performance or "department performance " as the wording allow for this.
3 - Contractual activities could be scheduled at any time between 8am and
10pm on Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm at weekends. This is just insulting.
I would be grateful if anybody could mention a single profession when
working on Sunday is considered "normal working hours" and not being paid
extra (...OK, apart from priests). It undermines anybody in Accident and
Emergency trying to expand consultant cover to evenings, why to do that? the
pay is going to be the same.
4 - The increment in the pay scale is minimal. Most of new consultants do
not start at the bottom of the scale (mostly because they have better
negotiation skills than some of our colleagues). Consultants in the first
few years will take a pay cut when current intensity payments are withdrawn.
For bigger increments (moderate) we will have to wait 15 years. Even senior
consultants, who in theory get a bigger increment, will not know if this
will count for their pension as ...surprise, surprise, this "small point"
still have not been resolved.
5- The BMA is lying saying that the ban in private practice has been
avoided. For the first 7 years (if Trust feels like it) a consultant will
have to work 48 hours a week to practice privately. The European Working
Time directive stipulate that 48 hours a week is the maximum time allowed to
work, This is not actively enforced, but many competent lawyers must be
waiting just for a doctor to make a mistake outside this limit; we will see
how we can defended it.
6- It is going to create a two tiers system, as a new consultant cannot
refuse to take the new contracts. About the existent consultants, I cannot
imagine too many surgeons queuing to sign the new deal, do you?
I read that our leader Dr. P. Hawker said that 'they are being naive if they
believe we can go back and renegotiate this deal ... it is the opinion of
myself and other very experienced negotiators that this was the best
possible deal we could get.' Excuse me, but if this if the best deal they
could get, please go!.
Anything can be renegotiated with the adequate support. The junior doctors
balloted their member on different plans of action if negotiations were not
successful. I do not believe they would have gone on strike if unsuccessful,
but they did not went to the negotiating table shouting it, as Dr. Hawker
is being doing lately. Have these people ever play poker? You do not show
your cards until the end.
Also, why only thinking about strike as the only negotiating tool? If I was
a cardio thoracic surgeon I would be phoning my few colleagues around the
country and starting selling my services to the NHS (e.g. chambers). A&E can
also do that, more complicated but very possible. More.
Some A&E colleagues are worried about fighting the government on these
premises. They think that they could decide to go ahead without A&E
consultants. I would say, let them try!. I would be happy to see how my
hospital (Royal Free, London) cope without us (A&E consultants), I would
like to see the face of our friendly orthopaedic surgeons when they are told
that they have to cover A&E, I would like to see all the SHOs jobs
accreditations withdrawn by the different colleges because we are not there
anymore.... Please, do not undervalue what we do everyday in our
departments.
This contract can be... must be renegotiated
Andres Izquierdo Martin
Consultant in Accident and Emergency
Royal Free Hospital
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