Written answers

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Department of Health

Hospital Staff Issues

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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191. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which adequate numbers of non-consultant hospital doctors are available and adequate to meet requirements throughout the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48549/13]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to improving the working-conditions of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) and to ensuring that they can have a suitable career pathway within the Irish health system. Intensive work is underway in all hospitals to pursue compliance with the European Working Time Directive on junior doctors’ working-hours. The immediate focus, involving the HSE, hospital management, the IMO and NCHDs, is on eliminating shifts in excess of 24 hours.

In July this year, I set up a working group chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, President of DCU, to carry out a strategic review of the medical training and career structure of NCHDs. I see this as a modernising initiative which is needed urgently and which will, in future years, support the retention of sufficient numbers of doctors trained in Ireland within the system.

The great majority of NCHD posts are filled at present. However there are a limited number of vacancies, mainly in smaller hospitals and in certain specialties, including Emergency Medicine and General Medicine at Registrar level. Filling these posts represents a challenge given that there are shortages internationally, there is a competitive market and that it can be more difficult to attract doctors to some hospitals than others.

Where sites continue to experience challenges in terms of vacancies, hospital management implement contingency plans. If necessary, hospitals make locum arrangements to ensure continued service delivery. System reform, in particular the implementation of the Report on Hospital Groups and the Framework for the Development of Smaller Hospitals will assist in achievement of a more focused and efficient deployment of NCHD staffing. These changes will build on the significant work that has been done through the HSE National Clinical programmes in recent years.

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