Most consultants at Galway University Hospitals embrace public-only contracts
Almost three quarters of the consultants who work at Galway University Hospitals have signed up to public-only contracts.
The Public Only Consultant Contract (POCC) was introduced by the Government in March 2023. Its aim is to eliminate private care in public acute hospitals.
Tony Canavan, Regional Executive Officer, HSE West and North West, said the POCC, “transitions the Irish public health system to a single-tier model where care is based on need rather than ability to pay”.
In response to a query from Galway City Councillor Shane Forde (FG), at the latest HSE West Forum meeting, Mr Canavan said 233 consultants whose principal clinical site was Merlin Park or UHG have signed the POCC contract.
This figure was correct as of June 2026, and equated to approximately 73% of the total number of consultants at GUH.
Mr Canavan said that percentage would continue to increase because the POCC was the only contract that would be offered to new consultants at GUH going forward.