A shortage of junior doctors in Northern Ireland is threatening patient safety, the British Medical Association claimed today.
The NHS workforce in the region is short 86 newly trained doctors and could be down as many as 120 by early next year, according to the BMA.
David Farren, chairman of the BMA’s junior doctor committee in Northern Ireland, issued the warning as 200 new foundation grade doctors took up their posts today.
“The medical workforce is currently short of approximately 86 junior doctors, with emergency medicine, paediatrics and surgery among the worst affected,” he said.
Dr Farren said it is “not a new problem” and added that the BMA has “repeatedly raised” it with Health Minister Michael McGimpsey.
“BMA estimates that the shortage of junior doctors will rise to around 120 by February, with this shortage potentially forcing trusts to withdraw services”.
“We have already seen this happen and junior doctors have been unfairly labelled as the instigators of the withdrawal of services.
“This is quite simply not the case as junior doctors are allocated where they will work by the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA).
A Department of Health spokeswoman said 85 posts remained vacant but pointed out that represented only 5 per cent of positions.
She said: “The Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency carries out the annual recruitment of over 1,700 doctors in training to a range of specialities.
“This year over 95 per cent of posts have been filled with 85 vacancies remaining. The minister has made clear that a safe and effective service must be maintained”.
From 2005, the Department has invested recurrently to increase the number of medical undergraduates at Queen’s by around 40 per cent, she said, adding “It is expected that the additional numbers available to the medical workforce, from this year, will take effect in coming years”.
“It has been necessary to look from beyond the UK and a recruitment exercise to the Indian sub-continent took place earlier this year and an exercise is also under way to recruit further from within the European economic area.”
PA