Unfair Treatment of Trainee Doctors is “encouraging emigration”

Wednesday 15th August 2018.  The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has warned that the unfair treatment of young trainee doctors in Irish hospitals is encouraging emigration and adding to the recruitment and retention crisis amongst Irish doctors.

The IMO was responding to a report today from the Medical Council which found that some young trainee doctors were being asked to perform duties above their grade.

Speaking today an IMO spokesperson, said that the IMO has repeatedly warned the HSE that young trainee doctors are being mistreated in Irish hospitals and, as a result, were being discouraged from committing to the Irish health services.

“The type of issues the Medical Council has highlighted are a common experience for young Irish medical graduates.  There are wholly inadequate training supports in place for newly qualified doctors and they are often thrown in at the deep-end in terms of learning how to deal with patients and assess situations.  To add insult to injury, the IMO has received numerous reports about young doctors not being paid for overtime work done, not receiving their rosters in reasonable time and not being given protected training time.”

The IMO warned that the issue was encouraging doctors to emigrate: “These negative early experiences of the Irish hospital system are directly encouraging record numbers of young Irish qualified doctors to emigrate and bring their talents and skills to a country which offers them a better work environment and a greater opportunity to learn and grow on the job.”

Ireland has approximately 500 Consultant posts lying vacant at present and is facing a shortage of about 1,400 compared to the number of Consultants we actually need in place.