Dr. John-Paul Byrne:

There is a huge risk of future workforce issues in that registrars and SpRs are looking up at consultants and their working conditions and thinking it may not be for them. There is a progression of junior doctors towards consultancy but they are looking at consultancy and working conditions at the moment in the health system and that could be a further driver of emigration for more senior doctors. Working conditions are an issue for doctors now and there may be a future workforce planning issue for potential consultants who move because they do not want to face the conditions that are there.

It is about looking ahead as well as at the right now.