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Hospital Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 April 2014

Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Questions (592)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

592. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the action he will take to address the shortage of junior doctors available to the departments of surgery at Letterkenny Hospital, in view of this service now being at breaking point [16201/14]

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Written answers

In July last year, I set up a working group chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, President of DCU, to carry out a strategic review of the medical training and career structure of Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs). I received the interim report of the Group which dealt primarily with training issues in December. The Group is now focusing on career structures and pathways following training and is due to report very shortly on these issues. The final report of the Group is to be submitted to me by the end of June 2014. I am confident that the implementation of the findings of this strategic review will, in future years, support the retention of sufficient numbers of doctors trained in Ireland within the system.

It should be noted that there are some specialties, at consultant and NCHD level in which there are international shortages and which have been traditionally difficult to fill. Filling these posts represents a significant challenge given that there is a competitive market for consultants and NCHDs with these specialties. There are also some hospitals to which it has historically been difficult to attract applicants, in particular smaller hospitals that have onerous rosters. The planned establishment of hospital groups should help to address this issue, as this will allow doctors to be appointed as group resources - instead of to just one hospital. Where posts are vacant and suitable candidates cannot be sourced, locums are retained or alternative arrangements are made to ensure the continued delivery of the service.

In relation to the specific query regarding Letterkenny Hospital, I have forwarded the question to the Health Service Executive who will respond directly to the Deputy in this regard.

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