Doctors 'will quit over these contracts'

Twenty-eight consultants from hospitals across the region are among 500 throughout the country who signed a letter against Government proposals. It was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday.

They predict that it could lead to more doctors leaving the NHS.

The letter says the main thrust of the new contract would place them directly under the control of central and local management.

"Such an approach is demeaning and unprofessional. It damages the morale of doctors who already give substantially more to the NHS than their current contract demands," says the letter.

It goes on: "The priority of NHS consultants has always been to deliver the best possible care to patients. Trusts have increasingly been slaves to the politically motivated 'target of the week' set by central government."

The letter says managers would have the "unrestricted, un-challengeable freedom to make financial service the objective and priority of consultants".

The consultants were concerned at discrimination against doctors in the first seven years of a consultant job.

"Doctors in training provide more than half the out-of-hours NHS service and have trained for 15 years to become consultants.

"To suggest that they do not deserve the same contract as senior consultants is divisive and underhand.

"The new contract favours older consultants nearing retirement at the expense of their younger colleagues."

The 28 consultants includes three from Stockton, two from south Durham and Darlington and another from north Durham. There are also six from Sunderland.

No one was available for comment at the Department of Health.

Contracts concern: The 28 North-East consultants

Dr Ian Jackson, consultant anaesthetist, York.

Andrew Simpson, consultant in A&E medicine, North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Trust.

Peter Hall, consultant anaesthetist, York.

Richard G Henderson, consultant radiologist, South Durham Healthcare NHS Trust,Darlington.

Paul Dunlop, consultant general surgeon, Sunderland Royal Hospital.

Almas L Khan, clinical fellow, orthopaedics, Newcastle.

Dr Stephen Dowson, consultant anaesthetist, North Durham Healthcare NHS Trust. Dr Adrian Taylor, consultant anaesthetist, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust.

Dr C Harikumar, consultant neonatologist, University Hospital of North Tees, Stockton.

Julian Campbell, consultant anaesthetist, Harrogate District Hospital.

T J Fetherston, consultant ophthalmologist, Sunderland Eye Infirmary.

Dr Stephen C Bourke, Respiratory and General Medicine, Newcastle Hospitals Trust.

Anil Tuladhar, consultant paediatrician, University Hospital of North Tees, Stockton.

Peter Phelan, consultant ophthalmologist, Sunderland Eye Infirmary, Queen Alexandra Road, Sunderland City Hospitals, Sunderland.

Dr Alan McCheyne, anaesthetics, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle.

Dr Joanne McCheyne, anaesthetics, Newcastle General Hospital.

Joe McDonald, South Tyne and Wearside Trust.

Ian Nesbitt, consultant anaesthetist, Newcastle Healthcare Trust.

Dr Sylvia Dahabra, consultant psychiatrist, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle.

Dr Philip J Haslam, consultant radiologist, Freeman Hospital Trust, Newcastle.

Dr Anthony Taylor, consultant anaesthetist, Sunderland Royal Hospital.

Steven Forde, consultant anaesthetist, York District Hospital.

Dr C Harikumar, consultant neonatologist, University Hospital of North Tees, Stockton.

Paul Counter, specialist registrar ENT, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle.

Michael Potts, accident and emergency department, Sunderland.

Dr Andy Lawrie, consultant adult psychiatry, Sunderland.

Dr Gavin Young, consultant neurologist, Middlesbrough General Hospital.

Nigel Corner, consultant surgeon, South Durham Healthcare NHS Trust.

James Ball, ophthalmology, York District Hospitall