Plans to half the amount of positions for newly-qualified doctors in Clare and Limerick represent a “slap in the face” to frontline workers.
The Clare Echo has been contacted by concerned health professionals who have flagged plans from the HSE to cut in half positions for newly-qualified doctors in Clare and Limerick.
Dr Cormac Duff warned, “In July 2021, our hospitals will lose 49 of their current 99 intern doctors”.
Hundreds of additional jobs were created as the pandemic emerged “allowing every graduating doctor the chance to stay and work in Ireland. This year, as the pandemic and resultant health crisis continue, the decision has been made not to offer the additional jobs to the 2021 cohort of interns.
“As a result of this decision, the vast majority of international graduating doctors will be forced to leave Ireland to work as doctors. Our health service will be left ever more understaffed – and most importantly, our patients will suffer,” Cormac stated.
Cormac who worked at University Maternity Hospital Limerick up until January outlined, “We train doctors to excellent standards, we have a very high quality of medical training in Ireland. We create this highly skilled workforce and then the minute they’re ready to work we show them the door and send them packing. It doesn’t make any sense at all.”
An intercollegiate group of medical students, both Irish and international, are calling on Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly (FF) to reverse the decision. More than 3,850 persons have signed an online petition seeking the decision to be changed.
Clare TD, Joe Carey (FG) hit out at the potential of the posts being slashed particularly given the efforts of frontline workers over the past twelve months. The outcome, he cautioned would force more people to move abroad to find work.
Deputy Carey has written to Minister Donnelly to get the decision reversed. “As the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, hundreds of additional intern jobs were created, allowing every graduating doctor the chance to stay and work in Ireland. This year, as the pandemic and resultant health crisis continue, a decision has been made not to offer the additional jobs to the 2021 cohort of interns. As a result of this decision, the vast majority of international graduating doctors will be forced to leave Ireland to work as doctors”.
Further understaffing of the health service will be experienced, the Clarecastle man warned. “Most importantly, our patients will suffer”. He said the move is “a slap in the face for the heroes who answered their country’s call in our hour of need”.
The Irish Medical Organisation has written to the HSE about the problem, most recently last month. Industrial relations officer Paul Maier said: “It is urgent that this is now resolved.” He questioned the HSE’s estimate that returning to 720 interns is enough to fill the vacant posts as hospitals prepare to tackle huge waiting lists after the pandemic. “Our view is that there are not enough doctors at any level in Irish hospitals at this stage,” he added. Maier was also critical of the impact on non-EU doctors.
