My Department meets representatives of the medical education and training organisations and of the Medical Council on an ongoing basis to discuss a very wide range of issues of mutual interest, including the implementation of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD). These meetings, both formal and informal, are very helpful in informing my Department's approach to many issues, including the training of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) in the context of implementing the directive. Over the past number of years both the training bodies and the Medical Council have made a significant contribution to Government policy on medical education and training and on implementing the EWTD, most notably their membership of and contribution to the preparation and publication of the Report of the National Task Force on Medical Staffing, Hanly report.
As you will be aware, on publication of the Hanly report, I asked the sub-group of the Hanly task force which dealt with medical education and training issues to remain in place in order to examine and report to me on the measures required to accommodate NCHD training in all postgraduate programmes and to safeguard training and service delivery during the transition to a 48 hour working week. The group convened a major national seminar last January involving all stakeholders including training bodies, the Medical Council, employers and medical representative organisations. Drawing on the views expressed at this seminar and the ongoing work of the medical education and training group, draft proposals have been developed with a view to ensuring the provision of high quality training for NCHDs in the context of the initial implementation of the 58 hour week and the eventual implementation of the 48-hour working week. I anticipate that these proposals will be submitted to me in the near future.
Unfortunately, in recent months, it has been necessary to cancel a number of formal meetings of the medical education and training group due to continuing industrial relations action by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association arising from an unrelated issue. I would like to take this opportunity to again call on all concerned to re-enter formal discussions in the interests of ensuring that both patient care and training needs are fully met in the context of implementation of the directive.
Even though it has proved difficult to convene formal meetings of the MET group, the ongoing contacts with training bodies have facilitated the group's secretariat in making progress on a range of issues including, in particular, the draft proposals referred to above on addressing training needs in a 58 hour week. A significant and welcome development has been the forging of constructive dialogue between key medical training and employer representatives in order to jointly address how best to respond to the requirements arising from the implementation of the 58 hour week.
The deadlines imposed by the EWTD will be difficult to meet, assuming the full cooperation of the key stakeholders concerned. I again call on the stakeholders concerned to participate with and cooperate with the necessary implementation processes. I think it is important to state that we face the same hurdles as many of our EU colleagues. They too are grappling with how to provide top quality health services while complying with the requirements of the directive. Every effort has been made and continues to be made to achieve compliance. The current difficulties in no way alleviate our legal obligations and only serve to emphasise the growing urgency of making the necessary progress to achieve implementation. I again call on all interested parties to play their part in achieving a healthier and safer working environment for doctors in training and equally important, the safer provision of services to patients.
