Seanad debates

Tuesday, 13 June 2017

Commencement Matters

Health Services Staff Training

2:30 pm

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Minister of State, particularly on a day when his attention is, presumably, directed elsewhere, as is the case for many others. I am grateful to him for coming to take this urgent Commencement matter, one that has been raised quite a number of times for the attention of successive Ministers for Health. I raise it again in order to keep the pressure on as it is hugely urgent and impacts severely on the experience of patients within the health care system.

To put it briefly, I ask the Minister for Health to inform the House when he intends to bring forward the legislation promised to change the criteria for medical training to alter the eligibility requirements for doctors in Ireland from non-EU countries to enter specialist training programmes here. There are doctors working here in psychiatry and a number of other specialist divisions who were trained in other countries. They are permitted to work here as non-trainee doctors, but they are not allowed to enter the trainee specialist divisions because they have not completed a recognised internship. I am told that there some doctors from non-EU countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa who have been recognised from 2006 onwards. There is, however, a significant number of doctors from other countries work who should be on specialist registers but are unable be included because the necessary legislation has not been brought forward. Certainly in the field of psychiatry there are doctors from India, the Philippines and Nigeria who should be allowed onto the trainee register but are not. This means that they do not receive the supervision they should if still in training. It also means that it is very hard to recruit or retain doctors where we need them because they do not receive the training opportunities and recognition they would receive if the legislation was to be brought foward.

There is a bizarre anomaly in the health system. I have spoken to colleagues who work in the sphere of psychiatry and elsewhere who have told me that it is bizarre and recognised as such. It has an impact on patient safety because there is no supervision to the required level. It also has an impact on waiting lists because the necessary specialist doctors cannot be recruited or retained. The effect on patients is very clear and has been recognised by successive Ministers for Health. I know because I spoke to our colleague, Senator James Reilly, when he was Minister for Health. At the time he promised to bring forward the necessary legislative change. A simple amendment is required and would be supported by the Medical Council and every other stakeholder. There is no political disagreement on the issue. It seems to be due to a bureaucratic delay. In late 2016 the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, promised that the necessary legislation would be brought forward in the first quarter of this year. Previously, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Leo Varadkar, when Minister for Health, said he would bring forward the legislation. I am told that the most recent ministerial comment is that it will be brought forward in the final quarter of this year, but that is simply not good enough. The deadline for doctors in training is July 2018. Therefore, the legislation must be concluded by the start of January 2018. Bringing it forward in November or December will be too late to enable us to see the benefit in having a sufficient number of doctors on the specialist register next year. The matter is urgent and the legislation must be brought forward.There is a political commitment to doing it and I am simply seeking to apply pressure in that regard. My colleague in the Dáil, Deputy Alan Kelly, our spokesperson on health, will also apply pressure about this. I am anxious to hear from the Minister why the legislation has not been forthcoming.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.