New survey finds that 94% of doctors report poor morale

The President of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), Professor Matthew Sadlier, will today warn of a crisis in morale amongst doctors in the Irish Health services.  The President will be speaking at a meeting of the Oireachtas Health Committee scheduled for this morning to discuss the issue of morale in the Irish Health Services.

Professor Sadlier revealed the findings of recent research undertaken by the IMO amongst doctors across the health services.

Key Findings Included:

94% of respondents reported “low to moderate” morale.

67% of these report that morale has deteriorated over the past year.

90% of respondents cited increased demands without matching resources.

64% reported unsafe staffing levels within their medical teams.

70% expressed concern about an increasing focus on productivity and discharge targets over patient outcomes and quality of care.

Professor Sadlier warned that the morale crisis amongst doctors was a red flag for patient care.  He said; “the same issues which cause low morale for doctors are having direct impacts on patient care; under resourced medical teams, long delays in getting attention, overcrowded facilities, insufficient bed capacity.  These things affect the morale of doctors, but they also directly impact on the quality of care which patients are receiving.”

Dr. Rachel McNamara, Chair of the NCHD Consultant Committee was also speaking at the same hearing.  She warned that Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) are particularly vulnerable at present.  She said: “Low morale is an acute problem for NCHDs.  Many are employed only on short-term six-month contracts.  Non-training stand-alone posts account for almost 40% of all NCHD positions and we are hearing many reports of difficulties for NCHDs securing these posts this July.”

“NCHDs are the doctors most exposed to unsafe staffing levels and excessive and often illegal working hours yet these are the ones we are now expecting to work with no certainty of what will happen when their current short-term contract expires.”

Professor Sadlier called on the Government to engage proactively – and not confrontationally – with doctors to address the issue.  He said: “the Government must move to multi-annual budgeting for the health services with a realistic starting point.  The recent cost containment measures announced by the Government are counterproductive and have generated significant concern amongst doctors.