Medical Council’s Workforce Intelligence Report Launched

Significant challenges remain in retaining Doctors on Register

Wednesday, 2nd October 2019: The Medical Workforce Intelligence Report for 2018, produced by the Medical Council, has been launched today in Dublin. The report is the key annual study providing essential information and intelligence as to the make-up of the medical workforce and why doctors remain within or depart from the Irish health system.

In 2018 there were 2,190 doctors who registered with the Medical Council for the first time. This represents the lowest number of entrants since 2015. Most new entrants to the register were on the General Division of the register and educated outside of Ireland. Doctors from outside the EU cumulatively accounted for more new entrants to the Irish register of medical practitioners than Ireland did.

There were significant increases in voluntary withdrawals from the register in 2018, which at 1,453 represented an increase of 37.9% on the previous year. Of those who withdrew, 76.4% provided quantitative and qualitative feedback on their reasons for withdrawal. The main findings were:

• 70% of the doctors were aged 44 or under
• The group was made up of 52% female
• Seven in ten doctors reported leaving the General Division of the register
• 24% left the specialist division
• 11.9% of those who left were interns
• 69.9% planned to practise medicine in another country

“Ireland’s education and training of doctors is internationally recognised, however, recruiting and retaining our pool of highly qualified Irish-trained doctors continues to prove challenging. The 2018 data reveals that year-on-year applications to the register have decreased, while instances of voluntarily withdrawals continue to rise” said Dr Rita Doyle, President, the Medical Council.

“There is a continued overreliance on foreign-trained doctors. Our reliance on overseas-trained doctors is escalating, evidenced by the continued increase in the General Division. The practical and cultural challenges within the Irish health system need to be addressed, in tandem with an increase of appropriate health practitioner supply. Otherwise, retention will remain a growing issue.”

“It is essential that we commence to tackle these issues and that any change to the education system needs to be conducted in a holistic manner with co-ordinated workforce planning to determine the requirements and place doctors in the right location with the appropriate qualification,” concluded Dr Doyle.

“This research which is conducted annually is an essential source of information that informs the health system in Ireland about the challenges of attracting doctors and retaining them on the Irish register. The value of the feedback we receive from those doctors that chose the leave the register is immense,” said Bill Prasifka, CEO, the Medical Council. “Through evidence-based, data-driven reporting, we can provide this continuing national picture of the medical workforce in Ireland, identify trends, highlight areas of concern and make suggestions on how to address issues. This report contains continued trends and concerning insights, which need to be addressed collaboratively by policymakers, educators, planners and employers to effect change.”

The key statistical findings in the report are:

• 2,190 doctors registered for the first time in 2018;
• The average age of registration was 32.39 years, ranging between 22 and 71 years;
• The average age of a working doctor in Ireland in 2018 was 44.5 years;
• 82.7% reported working in a full-time capacity;
• 42% of registered doctors are female
• 42.8% of the register are international medical graduates;
• 72.6% of the register practice exclusively in Ireland;
• 1,453 voluntary withdrawals were made in 2018, representing an exit rate of 9.1%.

The reasons cited for voluntary withdrawals from the register in 2018, included:

• Workplace issues;
• Lack of resources;
• Lack of value and appreciation on the perseverance of doctors working against the background of limited resources;
• Family reasons;
• The introduction of medical indemnity as a requirement for registration and the cost attached;
• For those doctors on the Irish register but working abroad, the expense of dual registration;
• Poor quality of training and lack of flexibility.

A full copy of the report can be downloaded here.

A copy of the summary report can be downloaded here.