‘It is disappointing that there cannot now be any service expansion at a time when health services are extremely understaffed and under significant pressure to meet rising demand’

 

Monday July 15, 2024. The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has welcomed the lifting of the HSE’s recruitment embargo but has warned that the retention of a restrictive staffing ceiling from December 2023 means that the health service’s chronic resourcing and staffing issues cannot be adequately addressed, and that is a patient safety issue.

Speaking today, Dr Rachel McNamara, Chair of the NCHD Committee of the IMO, said: “While the IMO welcomes the lifting of the embargo and the introduction of new development posts, it is disappointing that a staffing ceiling has been set from December last year, which means services can only hire at that resourcing level. This is unsatisfactory as there now cannot be any service expansion at a time when health services are extremely understaffed and under significant pressure to meet rising demand from a growing and ageing population.”

 Dr McNamara noted a recent survey by the IMO which demonstrated that 77% of NCHDs are currently working beyond safe and legal hours. “The HSE has itself acknowledged that an additional 800 NCHD posts, targeted to certain sites, are needed to bring this cohort’s working hours back to a maximum of 48 hours per week. This staffing ceiling means this is unachievable and does not bode well for the commencement of NCHD contract talks later in the year. When doctors are overworked and under-resourced, it leads to poorer outcomes for patients, and we will continue to fight for NCHDs to ensure this cultural working environment is changed.”

 She added: “For too many years doctors and other healthcare staff have worked in a system that has significant deficits in terms of capacity and workforce. While this may offer some relief as newly vacant posts can now be filled, it is not the long-term solution we need. It is critically important that healthcare delivery be funded on the basis of service demand. Government and the HSE point to a drop in activity levels, however unless we staff each hospital and every community service appropriately it will simply be impossible to improve patient care and address wait times.”