asked the Minister for Health the steps, if any, he proposes to take to establish a career structure for newly qualified doctors that would ensure adequate post-graduate training and certainty of worthwhile employment with adequate facilities in their chosen speciality.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Doctors' Career Structure.
54.
In December, 1973, I established the Council for Post-graduate Medical and Dental Education and Training to co-ordinate and organise, where necessary, post-graduate medical and dental education and training.
Since then the council have examined the courses for primary fellowships of a number of specialties in consultation with the various medical faculties and training programmes have been established in a number of specialties. The council are examining the courses for other specialties with a view to ensuring that organised training programmes at registrar and house officer levels are established.
The council have also been assigned the function of providing career guidance for persons wishing to pursue medicine as a career. In consultation with Comhairle na nOspidéal, who are at present preparing forecast estimates of consultant vacancies, the council intend to issue a career guidance booklet as soon as possible. This will contain information on the specialties for which training programmes are provided, the hospitals in which training posts are available, the method of entry to these programmes and other information on career prospects.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the courses, and so on, to which he has been referring seem mainly to relate to hospital training and training as registrars and consultants? Would he not agree it is desirable at this stage that post-graduate training should be given to those who wish to make their careers as general practitioners and, in conjunction with that, their entry into the general medical services on the completion of an approved course of training should be guaranteed?
In appropriate cases there is organised post-graduate education and training for doctors and dentists and that meets the position.