Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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18. To ask the Minister for Health the number of training positions, positions that have been filled and vacancies currently available, by hospital, in tabular form; the number of qualified training consultants available in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal; how he will address the low take-up of training positions in hospitals outside County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13684/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The HSE has responsibility under the Health Acts for the training of NCHDs. It has advised that details relating to training positions are contained in its most recent report 'Annual Assessment of NCHD Posts'. This report outlines all of the training positions by specialties and can be found within the Staff and Career section of its website.Detailed information regarding trainees by hospital site is maintained by the individual training bodies.

The HSE has confirmed that for the training year 2015 to 2016 only 29 posts at First Year Basic Specialist Training level remained unfilled by trainees and the majority of these posts were in General Internal Medicine. However, these posts have been filled by doctors who are not on training programmes and are not vacant.

Only permanent appointed consultants who are registered on the Specialist Register of the Irish Medical Council are eligible to be trainers. Of 58 whole time equivalent consultants employed in Letterkenny General Hospital, 40 are permanently appointed and are, therefore, eligible to oversee training of NCHDs.

The HSE has confirmed that the low take up of training positions outside of Dublin is a priority and is being addressed. Geographical distribution of trainees is a standing item on the bi-annual meeting between each training body and the HSE and forms part of the annual service level agreement between each training body and the HSE. All training programmes now include mandatory rotations outside of the Dublin area, and almost all have mandatory rotations to model three hospitals.

There is a global shortage of doctors and intense competition amongst those in training to access the best training opportunities available. However, I am satisfied that the HSE recognises the need to support the distribution of training posts across the system as far as practicable and has introduced measures to ensure that the training model supports hospitals outside of Dublin to the greatest extent possible.