Concern at number of non-specialist consultants

FIANNA Fáil Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked Health Minister Simon Harris if he would issue an instruction to the HSE to the effect that any patient seeing a consultant who is not on the specialist register is informed of that and the reason for same.

‘We were told last May that 149 doctors working in the HSE in consultant posts were not on the specialist consultant register, unbeknownst to patients,’ he said. ‘We were also told that while some of this was due to legacy administrative issues, some of it was because the doctors had not finished their consultant training. This represents a serious patient safety issue. I am concerned by the lack of transparency for patients.’

In reply, Minister Harris said the HSE has been obliged in certain circumstances to appoint doctors who are not on the specialist division to consultant posts to ensure service delivery. There are also limited circumstances, he said, where an experienced senior doctor not on the Specialist Register may cover for an absent consultant to ensure the provision of care.

‘The HSE has established a group to examine posts that are filled by doctors who are not on the specialist register as well as the issues of recruitment and retention challenges,’ he said. ‘It is undertaking site visits and engaging with senior management at sites and with those not on the specialist division register who occupy consultant posts. Its report and recommendations are to be finalised and will be provided to my Department next month.’