Consultant webchat - 10 April
Thank you to those who took part in our webchat.
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Key issues for consultants
The issues that could be under the spotlight for consultants include:
Innovation
The NHS must support doctors who are striving for better care. Changes to award schemes may be part of this discussion but we must also look at the culture of the NHS to ensure consultants have the time to innovate.
Clinical autonomy
Interference in the day-to-day work of consultants makes it more difficult for consultants to do their jobs. Proposals to give managers greater discretion to decide on pay progression could make it more difficult for doctors to exert their clinical autonomy for the benefit of patients.
New ways of working
Consultant presence at weekends and evenings improves urgent care. But this approach is already successfully implemented in many hospitals under the present consultant contract. We need to understand more about what government and employers mean by seven-day working.