NHS Consultant Contract

The details of the new NHS consultant contact are currently still unclear. What is clear is the proposed ban for new consultants to engage in private practice. The London Consultants' Association takes the view expressed by most members of the profession that barring new consultants from private practice in the first seven years of their appointment is a draconian tactic. It may infringe aspects of human rights and is certainly not acceptable to established consultants let alone junior staff. This problem will be discussed at the open meeting to be held on Monday 5 March 2001 at the Royal Society of Medicine. For full programme details...CLICK HERE

Many of the issues relating to the consultant contract and the NHS/private interface were discussed at the meeting held on 14th March 2000 at the RSM organised by the London Consultants' Association. At that meeting Professor Nicholas Bosanquet gave examples of how the private sector might co-operate with the NHS. In some ways he was anticipating the Concordat, which has now been published by the government. Mr. Winston Peters, the President of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association spoke eloquently about the pressures on consultants and was arguing hard against restrictions on consultant contracts. Professor John Yates of Birmingham, who admitted to being old Labour, took the view that consultant contracts needed tightening and that consultants should be either committed to working full time in the Health Service or entirely in private practice. Professor Yates was not supported by the audience and was the first to admit that the government was unlikely to have the nerve to carry this action through entirely. In the event we have now seen the government response and the fact that at least some of Professor Yates' assessment of the situation was correct.

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