Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which future requirements in terms of junior hospital doctors are planned for on an annual basis; the methodology employed in such planning; the extent to which advanced planning has been undertaken in each of the past seven years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26624/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Health the number of doctors that have qualified on an annual basis in each of the past seven years to date in 2011; the degree to which they have been available to meet requirements at hospital and community levels; the numbers in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26625/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 153 together.

The Medical Practitioners Act 2007 requires the HSE to develop an active and strategic role in determining the appropriate utilisation of non-consultant hospital doctor posts in terms of training and service requirements. The Act also creates a mechanism whereby strategic planning is undertaken at a national level and in collaboration with the Medical Council and recognised postgraduate training bodies.

Under the Act the HSE must undertake appropriate workforce planning in order to meet the medical specialist staffing and training needs of the health service on an ongoing basis. This includes assessing on an annual basis the number of intern training posts and the number and type of specialist medical training posts required by the health service. It is then a matter for the Medical Council, having regard to the HSE's proposals, to specify the number of posts it approves for the purposes of intern training and for specialist medical training. The HSE is currently in the process of finalising its assessment of intern and specialist training posts for 2011/2012. Its 2010/2011 assessment is available at www.hse.ie.

An Integrated Workforce Planning Strategy for the Health Services 2009–2012 was published in November 2009 by my Department and the HSE. The Strategy was designed and developed to ensure integration of workforce planning activity with the broader objectives of financial and service planning in the Irish health and social care system. The Strategy emphasises the use of skill mix, matching education and training to service needs and demand for professional and general population demographics. It also provides health service planners with the tools to assess other sources of supply through redeployment, retraining or changed skill mix.

Graduates from Medical Schools in Ireland must successfully complete 12 months clinical training in order to practise medicine. Approximately 500 doctors complete their internship each year. However, it should be noted that information available to the HSE indicates that approximately 45% of those who completed their internship in 2011 are no longer working in the Irish health service.

I have asked the Higher Education Authority to provide data on the number of Medical School graduates for each of the last seven years. This information will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Question No. 154 answered with Question No. 15.