56% of consultants say their working environment does not reflect culture of mutual support, cohesion or trust
72% of consultants believe in collaborative leadership, yet only 16% feel management seeks their input in decision-making.- 76% are very often or always in firefighting mode, with just over 9% having adequate time to forward plan.
- 63% of hospital consultants report a lack of access to necessary capacity and resources.
- 72% believe they are making a valuable contribution to patient care, research, and teaching.
- IHCA President, Gabrielle Colleran: “The path forward requires a new mindset—a shift towards collaborative and compassionate leadership. We all must play our part. We must foster a culture of connection, trust, and respect, because only through collective effort can we overcome the challenges ahead.”
A new survey commissioned by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has found that 56% of consultants believe their working environment rarely or never reflects a culture of mutual support, cohesion, or trust, with 76% saying that they are very often or always in ‘firefighting mode’.
The Association published the results in advance of its Annual Conference today in Kilkenny which will focus on the theme of compassionate leadership. Among the speakers attending the conference are the Minister for Health and international healthcare leadership experts, Professor Michael West and Professor Helen Thomas.
When exploring the theme of compassionate leadership, 56% say that their workplace rarely or never reflects a culture of mutual support, cohesion and trust. This is despite 72% of consultants believing in collaborative leadership, yet only 16% feel that management seeks their input in decision-making.
More than six in 10 (63%) consultants report a lack of access to necessary capacity and resources. Just 9% of the over 650 consultants who responded to the survey believe they have adequate time to forward plan in their roles.
Despite these challenges consistently being faced by consultants operating in difficult circumstances, almost three-quarters (72%) state they feel they are making a valuable contribution to patient care, research and teaching.
Close to two-thirds (63%) of consultants feel a sense of worth in their work, while almost 70% say their work is very or completely meaningful to them. Overall, 70% stated that they find satisfaction in their roles, day to day.
Commenting, IHCA President, Prof Gabrielle Colleran said: “Healthcare can often feel consumed by contention and confrontation. Healthy debate has its place, but it should not define us.
“The path forward requires a new mindset—a shift towards collaborative and compassionate leadership. We all must play our part. We must foster a culture of connection, trust, and respect, because only through collective effort can we overcome the challenges ahead.”
The IHCA Annual Conference takes place on Saturday, 12 October in Kilkenny. Guest speakers will include Professor Michael West, who will speak on the core conference theme of ‘Leadership: a reset for Irish healthcare’ alongside Professor Helen Thomas, who will focus on Shaping Leadership and Culture Across NHS Wales.
Furthermore, Medical Council President Dr Suzanne Crowe and Consultant Dermatologist and former IHCA President Prof Alan Irvine will take part in a panel discussion titled ‘Leadership in Medicine – the lived experience’, which will be moderated by former RTÉ broadcaster Bryan Dobson.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will also address the conference and partake in a panel discussion with IHCA President, Professor Gabrielle Colleran, former Holles Street Master Dr Rhona O’Mahony, and HSE Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry on the future of care in Ireland, also moderated by Bryan Dobson.
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