The Minister for Health must address the systemic issue of public-only consultants doing work for private patients, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice.
Deputy Rice, who is Chair of the Oireachtas Health Committee, said:
“In June, the Social Democrats exposed breaches of the public-only consultant contract in University Hospital Galway’s laboratory.
“Now, I have received confirmation that this is a much broader issue with similar arrangements uncovered in the laboratory in St. Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH), Dublin.
“Consultants who signed the public-only contract are not allowed to do any private work in public hospitals.
“Yet, 15 consultants on the public-only contract in SVUH were carrying out private work in SVUH’s public lab.
“Why? Because this publicly funded hospital has a deal in place with St Vincent’s Private Hospital to do lab work for private patients. No public-only consultant should be doing this private work – it is a clear breach of their contracts.
“Until July 3rd, these public-only consultants were claiming for this private work from health insurers.
“These claims have now been stopped, but public-only consultants are continuing to carry out this private work “outside their public hours”, according to SVUH.
“This is a publicly-funded facility, and the existing arrangement still represents on-site private work – this is a breach of the public-only contract, as it is entirely derived from a private hospital with whom SVUH has a commercial relationship.
“The relationship between St Vincent’s Private Hospital and SVUH has long been of concern. 11 years ago, the former HSE boss told the Public Accounts Committee that St. Vincent’s Private Hospital had a ‘parasitic dependence” on the State-funded public hospital.
“SVUH has still not confirmed when, or even if, this arrangement with the private hospital will end, other than to say that a new “delivery model” will be finalised this year.
“Disentangling public and private work is a key part of Sláintecare. I accept that implementing this landmark contract, and phasing out private work from public hospitals, represents huge institutional change.
“That is why this process needs to be rigorously managed and governed to ensure that legacy culture and historic arrangements do not block reform. Private healthcare must operate independently of the public system, to ensure that all public resources are channelled towards public patients.
“The Minister and the HSE must get a handle on this situation and ensure that every public hospital complies with the terms of the public-only contract. Instead of this drip feed of revelations, we need full transparency about the deals still in place between all public labs and private facilities.”