Sir, – The paediatric trainees who are threatening to leave Ireland after starting salaries for consultants have been reduced won’t be coming to Britain.
The training is as long as in Ireland and the salaries lower. As an Irish doctor who has lived and worked in Scotland, where the value of money is not underestimated, I am always impressed at the desire of the trainee doctors to stay in the UK and work for the NHS. There is very little private practice.
I was taught in Dublin that it is a privilege to be a doctor. It is a fascinating and rewarding career and though a reasonable salary is fair, it has to be proportionate to what the country can afford.
Perhaps Ireland should be looking at what motivates young people to choose medicine as a career. It should never be about wealth creation. – Yours, etc,