Seanad debates

Wednesday, 18 April 2018

Commencement Matters

Qualifications Recognition

10:30 am

Photo of Jim DalyJim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Noone for raising these issues and for giving me the opportunity to update the House on the position in regard to them. I am pleased to say that, at the end of February 2018, there were 2,977 consultant whole-time equivalents employed in the public health services, which is 98 more than at the end of February 2017 and an increase of 750 in the past decade. The number of non-consultant hospital doctors also increased by 288 from February 2017 to the end of November 2018, with 6,327 non-consultant hospital doctors employed, an increase of 1,438 in the past decade.

I acknowledge the current difficulties attracting and recruiting consultants, particularly to certain specialties, including psychiatry and paediatrics. The HSE has been focused on addressing these issues and is now giving effect to the report, "Towards Successful Consultant Recruitment, Appointment and Retention", completed in December 2016, as well as to the implementation of the MacCraith group recommendations to support the recruitment and retention of consultants and non-consultant hospital doctors.

I acknowledge the valuable contribution made by doctors who are from outside the European Union to the Irish public health system. I am very aware that they play an important role in Irish healthcare. I am also aware that specialist medical training may be an important career pathway for these doctors but that some are unable to access this training.The Medical Practitioners Act currently provides that doctors whose qualifications are from non-EEA countries require the equivalent of a certificate of experience, that is, an internship, to access specialist training in Ireland. The Medical Council currently recognises internships from Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sudan and Malaysia as being equivalent to Irish internships. A doctor whose qualification is from a country other than those cannot access specialist training. The Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, has therefore decided to amend the Medical Practitioners Act 2007. The amendment will be introduced by a regulated health professions (amendment) Bill, which will amend the five health profession regulatory Acts in respect of a number of areas. This Bill will amend the Medical Practitioners Act to remove the requirement to hold the equivalent of the certificate of experience to access specialist training. It is a large and complex Bill and is currently at an advanced stage of drafting by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in liaison with Department officials. It is expected to be published in this Dáil session, subject to no major issues arising.

It is important to mention that Ireland is committed to a national policy of health worker self-sufficiency and has signed up to implementing the World Health Organization global code of practice on international recruitment of health personnel. The code establishes and promotes voluntary practices for the ethical international recruitment of health personnel and the strengthening of health systems. Article 3.6 of the code recommends that members states "strive [...] to create a sustainable health workforce and work towards establishing effective health workforce planning, education and training, and retention strategies that will reduce their need to recruit migrant health personnel".

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