Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 13 Feb 1992

Vol. 415 No. 7

Written Answers. - Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors.

Bernard Allen

Question:

115 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will outline his views on a recent statement by a person (details supplied) of the non-consultant hospital doctors IMO sub-committee, who has demanded that his Department should examine closely the link between non-consultant hospital doctors' supervision and the increasing number of litigation cases against non-consultant hospital doctors and who alleged that non-consultant hospital doctors were paying the price for poor supervision and that the same mistakes are constantly being made.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Connell)

Statements alleging links between inadequate supervision of non-consultant hospital doctors and an increase in the number of incidents resulting in litigation need to be examined with great care. There is virtually no published information available on the factors which give rise to medical accidents. It would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to make any comment on a possible link between poor supervision and medical accidents.

I would point out that non-consultant hospital doctors are, by definition, doctors in training. It is, therefore, desirable that their work be properly supervised.

The various training bodies regularly inspect hospitals which are recognised for training and should be able to identify areas in which supervision is inadequate.

A working group with representatives of all the relevant Departments is presently examining the area of medical indemnity insurance costs. Among the issues under examination is the scope for reducing the number of cases giving rise to litigation and I am sure the issue raised by the Deputy will be looked at in that context.