DOCTORS WHO train in Ireland may be required to work for at least two years in the public health system as part of a fresh attempt to keep junior doctors in the country.
Hospitals in all parts of the State face a shortage of junior doctors from the middle of next month when posts are rotated as part of doctors’ training programme.
Health authorities have been seeking to recruit doctors from India and Pakistan to help alleviate staff shortages.
However, Minister for Health James Reilly is considering a requirement that graduates from Irish medical colleges undertake a longer period of internship in the public hospital system.
At present, graduates undertake a one-year internship. Following this, they can apply for so-called senior house posts or leave the system.
The Minister has been advised by the Health Service Executive that there is no shortage of interns in the public hospital system.
However, health authorities are recruiting doctors from overseas because there is an immediate shortage at senior house officer and registrar level.
A total of 450 posts are due to be filled from July 11th when the next rotation of junior doctors takes place.
Dr Reilly said in a recent parliamentary question that most of these posts were service rather than training posts and were “not attractive to newly qualified doctors”.
Medical organisations say that the long working day in Irish hospitals, cuts in pay, lack of training opportunities and opportunities for career progression means many graduates are heading abroad for work.
In the meantime, in many areas health authorities have been seeking to recruit doctors from India and Pakistan to help alleviate staff shortages.
However, The Irish Timesreported last week that only one in six of the more than 400 doctors recruited by the health service to deal with the problem has so far sought entry on to the Irish medical register.
The Medical Council said that most of those who applied for registration had failed to submit all the documentation necessary to process their applications for registration.
The Irish Association for Emergency Medicine, which represents consultants working in hospital emergency departments, estimated last week that only five of the 32 hospital emergency departments would have sufficient junior doctors to operate a normal level of service unless additional recruits could be found.
