Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 September 2023
62. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will contact the Cuban Ambassador to request that Cuba assist with the provision of Cuban doctors and medical staff from to help with the staffing crisis in our health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39627/23]
View answerThere is a recognised need for substantial increases in the medical workforce. While we take the necessary steps to build domestic supply, in the interim, we must continue to recruit internationally.
The Medical Council is the statutory agency responsible for registration and regulation of doctors in Ireland. To protect patients, we must ensure all doctors registered to practise medicine in Ireland meet requirements to practise, as set out in legislation.
The Medical Council pathways for registration are not based on doctors’ nationality but on their qualifications and training. Doctors who qualified in other jurisdictions and are not entitled to automatic recognition by the Medical Council, are required to pass, or be exempt from, the Medical Council’s pre-registration examinations (PRES).
Any obligation to sit PRES exams depends on each individual doctor's training and potentially any time spent practising in the EEA. It is not possible to outline a definitive position on requirements for individuals without assessment by the Medical Council.
The HSE welcomes applications from all eligible applicants who meet registration criteria and is actively exploring all potential markets to increase the medical workforce, including collaboration with the Irish Medical Council to identify potential regions for recruitment of doctors who meet registration standards.
The number of doctors entering GP training has been increased in recent years, with 287 new entrants for this year and 350 places for new entrants now planned for next year. Annual intake to the GP training scheme has been increased by over 80% since 2015. In addition, the joint HSE and ICGP programme underway to bring up to 100 non-EU GPs to Ireland in 2023 will help to quickly improve access to GP services, particularly in areas with limited access. It is planned to bring Ireland up to 250 more non-EU GPs by the end of 2024.
