Sir, – Further to “HSE freezes recruitment of junior doctors and other support staff due to shortfall in budget funding” (News, October 13th), the freeze on hiring junior doctors is certainly doing more for the Australian government’s medical recruitment campaign than it is for retaining much-needed doctors and nurses in Ireland. – Yours, etc,
TRUDI McDONALD,
Bailieborough,
Co Cavan.
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Sir, – To get non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) in Ireland compliant with the European working time directive of 48 hours per week (averaged over four weeks) there has to be more staff hired. The current number simply is not sufficient to allow this to occur. For context, during my four years working in the HSE to date, I have never worked a single week below 50 hours (range 50 to 117 hours). This is the norm across the HSE. This week’s hiring freeze on healthcare staff including NCHDs is in direct conflict with the recommendations of the national taskforce on the NCHD workforce, published last year, which we must remember was the temporary solution which prevented industrial action. It is likely to result in teams across the country continuing with unsafe staffing practices, in turn worsening burnout, junior doctor emigration and, worst of all, patient outcomes. – Yours, etc,
Dr LUKAS O’BRIEN,
Adare,
Co Limerick.
Sir, – The population of Ireland has increased and continues to increase, waiting lists in our hospitals are increasing, and the HSE and Government’s solution is to ban recruitment of the workers who could help reduce those waiting lists? Genius, absolute genius. – Yours, etc,
DAVID DORAN,
Bagenalstown,
Co Carlow.