DOCTORS ARE TO vote on whether they accept a new deal aimed at eliminating unsafe and illegal hours.

It also seeks to tackle difficulties in getting paid for hours worked, study leave and payroll problems.

Junior doctor representatives at the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) will ballot NCHD members to seek support for the agreement with the HSE and the Department of Health.

Non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs), or junior doctors, are doctors working in hospitals who are not consultants but who provide important medical care to patients and are often taking postgraduate training in a particular specialty.

Doctors have repeatedly warned current conditions are dangerous for patients and causing burnout for doctors.

Last April, The Journal reported that junior doctors worked 2.8 million recorded overtime hours last year, with major concerns on how that is taking place to the detriment of patients and staff.

In 2021, junior doctors in Ireland worked a total of 2.8 million recorded overtime hours, according to figures provided by the HSE.

On average, between 2016 and 2021, a collective 2.5 million hours were worked beyond contracted time.

If the ballot passes, it would potentially see employers being penalised for noncompliance. 

The IMO also said it has secured agreement that an “entirely new” NCHD contract will be negotiated starting in January.

The development follows protracted negotiations involving the union’s NCHD committee  and the HSE and Department of Health and were prompted by the overwhelmingsupport of NCHDs for action up to and including industrial action.

The IMO outlined some of the key elements of the agreement to include:

- introduction of rostering rules where NCHDs “must be granted appropriate rest and employers will be financially penalised” where hours breach the legal limit;

- ensuring NCHDs get paid for all hours worked via a nationally agreed timesheet;

- enhanced training supports and guaranteed study leave for gateway/mandatory exams;

- commitment to begin talks on a new junior doctor contract in January.  

Dr John Cannon, Chairman of the NCHD Committee of the IMO, said the agreement was hard-won, but that further work would be required in negotiations on a new contract.

“We believe that while it represents progress in some key areas, further reform on NCHD working conditions and training must be secured in the NCHD Contract negotiations which will commence in January 2023. 

He added: “NCHDs are doctors in training and their work/study and life balance must be protected to ensure safety for both doctors and patients. 

We view this very much as a first step in changing the culture in which NCHDs are treated within the system which is bad for doctors, bad for patients and leading to ever increasing levels of emigration.”