Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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17. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the current situation in Waterford University Hospital whereby there will be no consultant dermatologist for the summer months and where a backlog of 3000 letters to patients exists; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that patients will not even be able to get on a waiting list for the next few months; his views that this is a crisis and emergency measures need to be put in place immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27042/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I have been assured that both the HSE and the South/South West Hospitals Group are committed to ensuring the continuation of dermatology services for people in the South East whilst temporary staffing/recruitment difficulties in University Hospital Waterford are being addressed. The Deputy will be aware that the HSE has the capacity to recruit consultants and other front-line staff where there is an established service need, despite the need to reduce the numbers employed across the health service in order to meet fiscal and budgetary targets.

Every effort is being made to fill the two consultant dermatologist posts which have recently become vacant in University Hospital Waterford, following a retirement and maternity leave. Both of these posts, along with a third permanent consultant dermatologist post, have been advertised. I very much regret that, in the current circumstances, routine non-urgent referrals are on hold. However, arrangements have been put in place to ensure that urgent referrals are dealt with at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in Cork city.

In light of the difficulties experienced by some hospitals in filling certain consultant posts, I established a working group, chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, to carry out a strategic review of medical training and career structure. The review is aimed at improving graduate retention in the public health system and planning for future service needs. To date, that working group has issued two reports; the first report, submitted in December 2013, focused on improving the training experience for trainees. The second report, submitted at the end of April, reviewed career structures and pathways following completion of specialist training. The final report is due to be submitted by the end of this month.