MANAGEMENT at University Hospital Limerick have said that a memo to interns concerning overtime refers only to non-payment of unrostered overtime and not the regular overtime worked by the graduate doctors when a consultant or senior staff member needs their services.
The statement was issued in response to a claim by Irish Medical Organisation Vice President Dr Peadar Gilligan that an overtime memo sent to interns in Dublin’s Connolly hospital is in breach of their contracts and that a similar memo was sent to interns in UHL.
“On occasion there is a requirement for Non Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) to work unrostered overtime in agreement with their line manager. Over the last number of years, UL Hospitals Group has sought to reduce the amount of unrostered overtime worked by NCHDs to ensure they have access to their required training, to comply with the European Working Time Directive and to manage the overtime budget,” the hospital said in a statement.
Dr Gilligan said in a radio interview that a memo sent to interns in Connolly, stating that their rostered hours were between 8am and 5pm and that no overtime would be paid outside of those hours, was in breach of contract.
He said that the issue was being resolved as a result of talks with the hospital management but that the IMO would be contacting UHL concerning a similar memo.
To reduce the requirement for unrostered overtime, UL Hospitals Group has increased the number of NCHDs employed by the Group with an additional 16 appointments made last July.
But in a statement on the matter, the hospital said that In July 2017 when the new Medical Interns started, “they were advised that they were not being approved for unrostered overtime as their weekly roster already included a number of rostered overtime hours.
“This decision was taken by the management team at UL Hospitals Group. A small number of Interns with approval from their line manager worked unrostered overtime and these claims are being processed for payment.
“Between October and December 2017, €2.5 million has been paid to NCHDs for both rostered and unrostered overtime. Any outstanding claims for unrostered overtime, where approved by line managers will be paid in the January pay periods.
“UL Hospital Group will continue to have discussions with the IMO regarding this matter”.
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