Irish Medical Organisation
Encyclopedia
The Irish Medical Organisation is a Professional association for Doctors in the Republic of Ireland
which also acts as a Trade Union
representing doctors in negotiations with the Irish government.
The IMO was formed in January 1984 through the amalgamation of the Irish Medical Association and the Irish Medical Union. It is the sole negotiating body on behalf of all doctors in Ireland, recognised for negotiating purposes under the Trade Union Act 1941.
On 7 June 1853, another congress was held in Dublin to re-establish the Association, and in 1882 it became incorporated as the Irish Medical Association.
and so could not be recognised as a negotiating partner.
A debate began then within the organisation, between those who wanted to register as a trade union and those who felt that industrial trade union membership was incompatible with being a professional association with clinical/patient responsibilities or what was sometimes previously termed as a "learned profession".
In 1962, the Irish Medical Union was established, initially, as a sub-section of the IMA and then became a break-away group under the presidency of Dr Johnny Cox, a general practitioner and farmer in Delvin, Co. Westmeath. The medical doctors' trade union was initially housed at the offices of the IMA in Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2, and later moved to separate offices in Northumberland Road, [Dublin 4], then Harcourt Street [Dublin 2], and finally, to Drumcondra, Dublin.
Soon after this split the government agreed to engage in direct negotiations with the Irish Medical Association (IMA) without requiring it to formally register as a trade union. Following the creation of the breakaway IMO in 1962 this effectively divided medical doctors' representation in the Republic of Ireland for over two decades weakening their influence on emerging healthcare public policy and the formation of the state's Health Boards structures in 1970.
Five years later an influential group of hospital consultants formed the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) to represent the specific interests of senior medical specialists. It was established in 1989 and maintains that it has 1,800 of Irish medical consultants/specialists within its ranks.
Today the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) is the sole negotiating body on behalf of all doctors in Ireland, recognised for negotiating purposes under the Trade Union Act 1941, though the IHCA also represents consultant grades in official negotiations with the Health Service Executive HSE
and the Department of Health.
The role of the IMO is to represent doctors in Ireland and to provide them with all relevant services. It is organised into four 'craft groups': general practitioners; hospital consultants; 'junior' or non-consultant hospital medical employees; and public health medical doctor employees. It is also committed to the development of caring, efficient and effective health services in Ireland.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
which also acts as a Trade Union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
representing doctors in negotiations with the Irish government.
The IMO was formed in January 1984 through the amalgamation of the Irish Medical Association and the Irish Medical Union. It is the sole negotiating body on behalf of all doctors in Ireland, recognised for negotiating purposes under the Trade Union Act 1941.
1839 - The Irish Medical Association
On 29 May 1839, a union of Physicians and Surgeons was formed at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin."That it is therefore our opinion a legislative measure should be sought for by us, to unite the medical profession of Ireland into a co-operation upon such principles as shall constitute them one National Faculty, and thereby identify in feelings and interests, the greater mass of provincial practitioners with their metropolitan brethren"
On 7 June 1853, another congress was held in Dublin to re-establish the Association, and in 1882 it became incorporated as the Irish Medical Association.
1962 - The Irish Medical Union
In 1957 negotiations between the IMA and the Irish government over employment conditions for doctors broke down with the government announcing that the IMA was not a registered Trade UnionTrade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
and so could not be recognised as a negotiating partner.
A debate began then within the organisation, between those who wanted to register as a trade union and those who felt that industrial trade union membership was incompatible with being a professional association with clinical/patient responsibilities or what was sometimes previously termed as a "learned profession".
In 1962, the Irish Medical Union was established, initially, as a sub-section of the IMA and then became a break-away group under the presidency of Dr Johnny Cox, a general practitioner and farmer in Delvin, Co. Westmeath. The medical doctors' trade union was initially housed at the offices of the IMA in Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2, and later moved to separate offices in Northumberland Road, [Dublin 4], then Harcourt Street [Dublin 2], and finally, to Drumcondra, Dublin.
Soon after this split the government agreed to engage in direct negotiations with the Irish Medical Association (IMA) without requiring it to formally register as a trade union. Following the creation of the breakaway IMO in 1962 this effectively divided medical doctors' representation in the Republic of Ireland for over two decades weakening their influence on emerging healthcare public policy and the formation of the state's Health Boards structures in 1970.
1984 - The Irish Medical Organisation
In January 1984 the IMA and the IMU amalgamated to become the Medical Union, a name which was later changed to the Irish Medical Organisation.Five years later an influential group of hospital consultants formed the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) to represent the specific interests of senior medical specialists. It was established in 1989 and maintains that it has 1,800 of Irish medical consultants/specialists within its ranks.
Today the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) is the sole negotiating body on behalf of all doctors in Ireland, recognised for negotiating purposes under the Trade Union Act 1941, though the IHCA also represents consultant grades in official negotiations with the Health Service Executive HSE
HSE
HSE may mean:*Healthy Survey for England* Higher Speed Ethernet - technology term* HSE Contractors Inc - CPM Scheduling Consultant* Health and Safety Executive, United Kingdom* Health Service Executive, Ireland...
and the Department of Health.
The role of the IMO is to represent doctors in Ireland and to provide them with all relevant services. It is organised into four 'craft groups': general practitioners; hospital consultants; 'junior' or non-consultant hospital medical employees; and public health medical doctor employees. It is also committed to the development of caring, efficient and effective health services in Ireland.