Doctors’ Dispute – An Added Worry For Patients

Commenting on the junior hospital doctors’ vote for industrial action, Dublin South West representative Seán Crowe TD said  it will add to the worry of patients and their families, particularly those in a long queue for life changing operations and  treatment.

Crowe said that the strike set for 25th September  was inevitable and a stark reminder of this and previous governments’ failure to reform hospital staffing and medical training and that while Minister Reilly and Doctors ‘differ’ patients and their care will suffer.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The decision by junior doctors to go on  strike is an inevitable development and will add to the worry of many patients and their families that are currently stuck in long queues awaiting life changing operations and treatment.

The strike proposed for the 25th September follows a ballot of junior doctors which resulted in 97% of 1000 trainees voting for industrial action.

“This dispute was inevitable given the failure of Health Minister James Reilly to implement the European Working Time directive and reduce the unacceptable long hours of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs).

“The doctors want an end to their gruelling working week of up to 100 hours. Their demands include an immediate end to shifts of more than 24 hours and a commitment from the HSE to have the 48 hour week they are entitled to in place by the end of 2014.

“It has been  widely recognised for years that the hospital system is flawed and  totally over-reliant on NCHDs. This Government and successive  previous governments have failed to address this over-reliance and  inappropriate staffing and it has led directly to this strike action.

“The system was flawed enough without having to bear the brunt of austerity measures and the widespread budget cutbacks currently being imposed.

“The Irish Medical Organisation told the Oireachtas Health Committee last March that ‘patient care is being jeopardised and that an accident would happen as result of the working regime’. They also said ‘it will have serious and perhaps even fatal consequences’ and that ‘there is consistent and dangerous flouting of the law every day in hospitals around the country’.

“This unacceptable and the  backdrop to this strike action.

“While everything possible should be done to avoid any action that will affect patient care, these issues will not be resolved until hospital staffing and medical training are reformed.

“This will require more consultants and new grades of consultants and NCHDs to work in our public hospitals, and clear career paths. This cannot be done without also tackling the excessive pay of existing consultants and eliminating double-jobbing in the public-private system.

“In the meantime while Minister Reilly and Doctors ‘differ’ patients and their care will inevitably suffer.”