Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, members of the Joint Committee on Health heard from researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, who have brought out a report on hospital doctor retention and motivation. They surveyed and interviewed almost 1,200 hospital doctors working in the health system about their experiences and they interviewed 51 Irish-trained doctors working in Australia on why they had left Ireland and if they planned to return. The findings are shocking and I was shocked. Even though I knew it was bad I did not realise how bad it is. The report found a workforce that is completely burnt out, demoralised and unwilling to speak up publicly for fear of personal and professional reprisal. This destructive culture of poor treatment and overwork is a key reason Ireland exports so many of its doctors to places like Australia.

One researcher remarked that the Irish emigrant doctor who returns to Ireland does so for purely personal reasons. Many non-consultant hospital doctors are on short-term contracts and their precarious situations make them feel like they are unable to rock the boat, which is completely and deeply demoralising. When asked about ways to facilitate these doctors' complaints, the witnesses referenced the National Guardian's Office in the UK. This office oversees a network of individuals across the NHS who are tasked with listening to and amplifying the concerns of their colleagues to advance the interests of both healthcare workers and patients. The introduction of such a model or of some other kind of independent complaints mechanism has to be explored because I am concerned that the HSE’s existing grievance policy is not functioning adequately.

We heard from the researchers that over 2,500 non-EU doctors work in the Irish healthcare system and that this system would collapse without them. Yet many of these doctors are on short-term contracts and do not have access to the training necessary to progress their careers to consultant level. Despite the Government’s stated commitment to consultant-led care, over 800 consultant positions are either empty or are filled by doctors on temporary contracts. The impact this has on the workload of doctors, the training of new doctors and service provision for patients is completely and utterly disastrous. They are all overworked and burnt out. Non-EU doctors, who have given so much to the Irish healthcare system, need greater access to postgraduate medical training and other supports. We need a real plan for the implementation of the European working time directive to retain Irish medical graduates who want a healthy work-life balance. This would motivate Irish emigrant doctors to return home. This matter is central to the sustainability of our healthcare system and to the welfare of its workers and the patients it cares for.I ask the Acting Leader to invite the Minister for Health, who is not well and I hope gets well soon, into the Seanad in order that he can inform us about the work being done to rectify the issues raised in this research, particularly around the workload and work-life balance for doctors who are now working in an emergency much of the time.