Widespread concern about risks to patient health from doctors being forced to work through exhaustion.

Friday February 8th 2013. Over 400 NCHDs and medical students from across the country have attended a special meeting in Dublin to highlight the crisis in the NCHD service and their experiences of working in extremely difficult conditions. The doctors have agreed to “use whatever means necessary” to achieve the real change required to ensure the safe delivery of healthcare in Ireland.

The meeting heard calls from both doctors and students for an end to the culture of long working hours in the Irish Health Service and the mental anxiety caused by the knowledge that tired doctors are more at risk of making mistakes in the care of patients.

Doctors at the meeting said they were dismayed by the HSE’s proposals to reduce working hours by a variety of impractical, and potentially dangerous measures, including the use of cross cover between surgical and medical specialities. Shirley Coulter of the IMO said, “These proposals were drafted without any consultation with NCHDs and are for the most part unrealistic and unimplementable ”.

Given that the IMO lodged a complaint with the European Commission in March 2012 the confirmation received from the HSE that an ECJ case against Ireland is welcomed.

For further information contact:
Maria Murphy
Director of Communications & Public Affairs
Irish Medical Organisation
Tel. 01 6767 273