09 January 2004
Northern Irish consultants' acceptance of a new contract will boost doctors' morale and improve patient services, the British Medical Association said this week.
The BMA announced on January 5 that a ballot of consultants and specialist registrars (the grade below consultant) had returned an 84% 'yes' vote in favour of the
new deal. Consultants in all four UK countries have now accepted a new contract, although there are differences in the terms offered in each nation.
BMA Northern Ireland consultants' leader Kanwar Panesar said the new contract would help encourage specialist registrars to stay in the local health service when they became consultants.
'This is a good contract for patients and consultants. We are optimistic that it will help with the recruitment and retention of consultants within the NHS in Northern Ireland. It should also help boost the morale of our workforce and this can only be better for our patients,' he added.
PFjan2004
