Sir, – As one of the 3,000 or so NCHDs who took part in industrial action on Tuesday, I deduce that any solution involving sanctions for the HSE would lead to three possible outcomes: 1. The HSE resolves to pay the sanctions at a local level where the 24-hour rule is broken and business continues as usual with penalties for the offending hospitals. 2. The HSE implements the 24-hour rule successfully and is compliant by virtue of newly increased staffing numbers and improved rosters. 3. The HSE implements the 24-hour rule without increasing the number of doctors. This in turn leads to a decrease in the number of frontline services a given hospital budget can provide and further consolidation of specialties to one or only a few centres.
Ideally the second outcome would prevail. However, it is difficult to see how new staff could be provided. The current domestic brain-drain and lack of new doctors from abroad relates to the lack of any realistic incentive to train in Ireland. I’m referring in part to the new consultant contract and this broadens the discussion to a wider malaise within the health service.
This leaves us with options 1 and 3 then, and no long-term solution. – Yours, etc,
Dr LUKE DILLON,
(Senior House Officer,
TCD GP training scheme,
Tallaght Hospital),
Home Villas,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – If I needed my brakes repaired by a mechanic and on collecting my car I was informed that the mechanic had just completed a 24-hour shift, would I trust the brakes? – Yours, etc,
DONAL CARLIN,
Ballyconnell,
Co Cavan.
Sir, – I would like to send my sincere thanks to all the NCHDs on strike on Tuesday. They have made the future working conditions of my two children who are currently medical students potentially less bleak, and given me some hope! – Yours, etc,
JOAN WALSH,
Garden Grove,
Kilsheelan, Co Tipperary.
