Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2004
42 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Defence the steps that are being taken to address the serious shortage of medical officers which is currently less than half of the establishment level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13474/04]
View answerThe military authorities advise that the current establishment for medical officers in the Permanent Defence Force is 51 and the current strength is 20. In common with other public sector health service providers, the medical corps encounters difficulty in the recruitment and retention of medical personnel. The Department of Defence, in consultation with the director of the medical corps, is seeking ways to recruit additional medical personnel, notwithstanding these difficulties.
Over the past number of years, the medical corps has had difficulty in attracting more than one or two medical officers per year into the service. Part of the difficulty in attracting applicants may be due to the unique nature of military medical officer appointments. Service in the medical corps is not a professional training employment comparable to non-consultant hospital doctor appointments or vocational training schemes in general practice. Where no military medical or dental officer is available, suitable local arrangements are made with civilian medical and dental practitioners to ensure that the appropriate level of professional care is available to members of the Defence Forces.
I raised the issue of the shortage of medical personnel in the Defence Forces in December 2002. RACO, the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, described the military medical service as being close to collapse because of the critical shortage of medical officers. At that time there were 33 medical officers serving in the Defence Forces and it is alarming to find the figure has fallen to 20, about 40% of the recommended number. How many of the current 20 medical officers are serving with troops abroad and how much is paid by the Defence Forces each year to civilian doctors who provide care in the absence of the appropriate medical personnel?
One can come to the House prepared for as many questions as possible, but I do not know how much is paid by the Defence Forces to civilian doctors. I can find that out for the Deputy. He should bear in mind that many services are provided by civilian medical personnel for the Defence Forces, and those services supplement the medical services supplied by permanent medical staff in the Defence Forces.
There is a genuine problem in attracting medical personnel to the Defence Forces. We have considered a variety of ways of attracting such personnel and will continue to work on the problem. Suggestions have been made by colleagues in the House and I am considering them. We have two serving medical officers in Liberia, one of whom came from the private sector and is on a short-service commission.
When I raised this matter in December 2002 the Minister told me the Department, in consultation with the director of the medical corps, was endeavouring to seek ways to recruit additional medical personnel. It appears nothing has been done since then. Is it the Minister's intention to bring retired medical personnel back into the Defence Forces?
That suggestion has been made to me and I am considering it. It is not the usual or traditional practice in the Defence Forces to take such action but we are faced with a quite significant problem and we must consider every option. In 2003 we had one medical officer on a short-term commission who came from the private sector. There was no successful recruitment in 2002. Three medical officers were hired in 2001, one in 2000 and one in 1999. This is not for the want of trying.
I hope this will not be misinterpreted but we are dealing with what is probably one of the fittest, most health-conscious group of people in the country. It is due to the nature of the tasks that must sometimes be performed that the medical expertise needed must be of a high standard and as widely available as possible, particularly when we are undertaking missions abroad.
