Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 2003

Vol. 577 No. 3

Written Answers. - Registration of Doctors.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

412 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the discussions taking place with non-EU doctors to resolve the dispute over the attitude of the professional bodies in anaesthesia and psychiatry on permanent registration. [30693/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

Discussions have taken place, over the past number of weeks, with representatives of the doctors concerned and they have been kept informed of any developments which have emerged. Preliminary discussions have also taken place with representatives of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the Irish psychiatric training committee and the medical council.

I understand that the Medical Council has been in communication with the college of anaesthetists on this issue. I also understand that the college of anaesthetists has decided to adopt an approach which considers satisfactory performance in anaesthesia, in a recognised training post, of more than 24 months as sufficient to issue the general professional training certificate to facilitate full registration. This will be contingent on satisfactory in-training assessments and an assessment of competence in anaesthesia by the appropriate consultant anaesthetists.

I also understand from the Medical Council that it has been in contact with the Irish psychiatric training committee, regarding its requirements for the award of a general professional training certificate. The medical council and the IPTC are in correspondence on the issue and it is hoped that a satisfactory solution can be reached.

It is understood that the medical council has deferred making any final decision on the registration status of any psychiatrist with temporary registration until this issue has been resolved. This should ensure that even those psychiatrists whose temporary registration has reached the end of the seven year period should not lose their temporary registration in the interim.