Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 2

Written Answers. - Hospital Accreditation.

Bernard Allen

Question:

480 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on a situation whereby public hospitals which have lost accreditation from the Medical Council will now be unable to hire any temporary registered doctors; and if he will name the hospitals which have lost accreditation. [24116/00]

Bernard Allen

Question:

481 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has been in contact with the Medical Council concerning its decision to withdraw accreditation from up to nine hospitals here. [24117/00]

Bernard Allen

Question:

483 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the situation where the Medical Council has withdrawn accreditation from up to nine hospitals as part of its ongoing assessment of training for temporary registered doctors; and his views on the situation, especially in view of the fact that the Medical Council has to date inspected only 30 hospitals as part of a process which will see them visiting 116 hospitals. [24119/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 480, 481 and 483 together.

Officials of my Department have discussed the accreditation process with the Medical Council. I understand that the Medical Council has issued questionnaires to all of the hospitals in the country to ascertain if the hospitals are providing the appropriate level of training for the junior hospital doctors in their employ. For a hospital to receive recognition from the Medical Council for temporary registration of non-consultant hospital doctors it must fulfil certain criteria relating to the training for NCHDs. The Medical Council has visited some hospitals, and intends to visit all of the hospitals in the country, to ensure that the hospitals are providing the appropriate level of training required. The Medical Council then issues a report to the hospital outlining any problems it sees with the training provided by the hospital. The hospital must then respond to the comments of the Medical Council within a specified time and if no response is given, or the response is deemed inadequate, then the Medical Council can refuse to recognise this hospital for temporary registration. However, the hospital can reapply for temporary registration as soon as it meets the criteria laid down by the Medical Council.

The Medical Council has not given me a list of the hospitals who have had temporary registration withdrawn. I understand from the Medical Council that some of these hospitals do not have NCHDs on their staff and others have never been approved for postgraduate or specialist training. The Medical Council has informed me that it has been in contact with these hospitals about regaining-obtaining recognition for temporary registration of NCHDs if they so wish. I understand that several hospitals have indicated that they do not intend to pursue the matter.

Question No. 482 taken with Question No. 140

Question No. 483 taken with Question No. 480.

Question No. 484 taken with Question No. 206.