Sir, - I am one of many Irish medical graduates working within the Irish health care system for a number of years. In writing this letter to you, I have the support of most of my Irish colleagues in expressing my absolute disgust with regard to the treatment of our non-EU counterparts. In a time when human rights, equality and fairness are being universally advocated, I cannot but feel disappointment - and indeed embarrassment - at the way in which these dedicated and hard-working doctors are being used.
A major manpower crisis is imminent in Irish hospitals due to a continued inability to fill non-consultant hospital doctors' posts. Department of Health figures have shown that Irish hospitals depend on non-EU doctors to fill almost 50 per cent of NCHD posts. So why persist in showing such ungratefulness to these people, who have averted an overwhelming manpower crisis?
As it stands, non-nationals who come to work and train in our country have already spent six years studying to obtain a lifelong goal - a medical degree. We welcome them with open arms, recognise their training from the outset and offer them NCHD posts throughout the country. Then we allow them to work under extremely restrictive conditions for a period of seven years and then reward them by presenting them with an ultimatum: leave the country in which they have served, with diligence and professionalism, or degrade themselves by taking the equivalent of the Irish Medical Undergraduate exam, so as to obtain full registration.
According to the EU Parliament Directive 93/104/EC, "a maximum working week of 48 hours on average to include overtime" should be provided for. The aims of this directive were to ensure that workers are protected against the adverse effects on their health caused by working excessively long hours or having inadequate rest. By January 1st 2001 there were 244 unfilled NCHD vacancies, and if this trend continues, within two years 700 NCHD posts - representing 25 per cent of total numbers - will be unfilled. If the concern for the NCHD's health is genuine, then why not take some definitive action? The answer is simple, and logical: Granting permanent registration to all those non-EU, temporarily registered NCHDs, who have worked in the Irish healthcare system for a period of time. This would not only help to solve a medical manpower crisis, but also demonstrate that the Irish healthcare system respects human rights and that there is no room for prejudice.
- Yours, etc.,
Dr CIARA YOUNG,
SHO in Psychiatry,
Cavan General Hospital,
Co Cavan.