Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 619: To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that all services at Tullamore and Portlaoise hospitals will be maintained in view of the junior doctor shortage, noting that 16 junior doctor posts remain vacant in these hospitals; and his plans to fill these vacant posts in the Laois /Offaly constituency [18859/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to ensuring that acute hospital services at national, regional and local level are provided in a clinically appropriate and efficient manner. In particular I want to ensure that as many services as possible can be provided safely in smaller, local hospitals. I have also made it clear that patient safety must be the overriding priority. I want patients to be treated at the lowest level of complexity that is safe, timely, and efficient and as near to home as possible. However, ongoing reform of the system will require some changes in how care is delivered in some locations across our health system.

I am conscious of the Deputy's concern in relation to the retention of services at Tullamore and Portlaoise in advance of the next rotation of Non-Consultant Hospitals Doctors (NCHDs). The position is, however, that the shortage of suitable NCHDs is an issue in many European countries. In this context I am working with the HSE and other stakeholders to ensure the filling of as many as possible of some 475 NCHD posts which are due to be filled from 11th July 2011. The HSE conducted an extensive recruitment drive in India and Pakistan in recent months and succeeded in identifying 439 potential candidates for NCHD positions in Ireland. I have held meetings involving my Department, the Medical Council, medical training bodies and the HSE with a view to identifying measures to facilitate the appointment of suitably-qualified doctors from abroad. Drafting of a Bill to amend the Medical Practitioners Act, 2007, to enable the Medical Council to register doctors in supervised posts for a defined period, is being finalised.

The HSE is focusing on addressing particular staffing issues in a number of hospitals including the Midlands Regional Hospitals at Mullingar, Tullamore and Portlaoise. Notwithstanding this, it is unlikely that all NCHD vacancies can be filled by 11th July. Hospital management are working with Clinical Directors in a planned way to devise contingency arrangements which can be implemented, if required, to ensure that any resulting impact on services is minimised and that safe delivery of hospital services is assured. There is currently no plan to reduce services in these hospitals on foot of any NCHD shortage.