Medical Workforce Planning Vital for Securing the Future of our Health Service

Medical Council launches Annual Report for 2020

Annual Report Highlights

• 24,720 doctors on the Medical Register – up from 23,555 in 2019, an increase of over 1,160 doctors.
• 56% of registered doctors were male while 44% were female.
• 35.5% of doctors were aged 35 or under.
• For the first time, 5% more female than male doctors in the 20 – 35 age group of the register.
• 60% of registered doctors received their primary medical qualification in Ireland; 15% from another EU/EEA country; and 25% from another country.
• 279 complaints received, compared to 431 in 2019.
• 420 doctors were restored to the Medical Register to help through the COVID-19 pandemic through ‘Be On Call for Ireland’ campaign.

Monday, 1st November, 2021: Speaking at the launch of the Medical Council Annual Report for 2020, Medical Council CEO, Leo Kearns highlighted the need for a renewed focus on workforce planning across the medical workforce.

Mr Kearns stated “By any standards, 2020 has been an extraordinary year in the life of the health service, and the dedication of healthcare staff to meet the challenge of delivering care to their patients and the wider community in such difficult circumstances has been truly outstanding”

“The experience of this past year has once again reminded us that our health service is fundamentally dependent on the people who work in it. Quite simply, without these people there can be no health service, and without high quality staff there can be no high quality and safe healthcare for patients”

“Today as we publish our annual report for 2020, a year dominated by the pandemic, we must once again focus on the many significant and serious medical workforce issues that face the health service in Ireland, many of which long predated the pandemic.”

“Last December we published the annual Medical Workforce Intelligence Report for 2019 and 2020 which highlighted many issues such as excessive working hours, resourcing issues, workplace bullying, consultant vacancies, doctor training numbers and the need for greater focus on doctor wellbeing”.

“The data in the report described the continued trend of a growing number of doctors in the general division of the register and the loss of doctors from the health system due to lack of access to training, poor working conditions and natural retirement”.

“In June 2020, 24,720 doctors retained their place on the Medical Council’s register, with 85% (17,926) reported being clinically active in Ireland and of this group just over 50% were on the Specialist Division; 20% reported to be NCHDs not in training; close to 60% self-reported to be working over 40 hours per week.

“The report highlights a number of issues of concern for the Medical Council such as doctor burnout, bullying issues and doctors working in excess of the European Working Time Directive”,

“Only a commitment to collective, coordinated and planned action across stakeholders will produce solutions.”

“In the interest of enabling and enhancing the delivery of high quality and safe care to patients, a concerted and collaborative effort is required by all stakeholders in identifying effective solutions for tackling issues such as workforce retention and doctor wellbeing. ” concluded Mr Kearns.

The Medical Council mounted a strong response to the COVID-19 pandemic supporting the HSE’s ‘Be on call for Ireland’ campaign by launching a dedicated pathway for doctors to re-join the Medical Council register of medical practitioners as part of the national COVID-19 response.

Medical Council President, Dr Suzanne Crowe said “2020 was a year none of us will ever forget. As a doctor I am extremely proud and honoured to work alongside front-line workers across the health service during the greatest challenge we have ever faced”.

“The Medical Council restored 420 doctors to the Medical Register in 2020, doctors returning home from abroad, coming out of retirement or returning to medical practice. To see these doctors return to practise gave the nation a huge boost during the darkest days of the early pandemic.”

“As we move to the next phase of the pandemic we must look to the future, we must look out for our workforce and address the systemic issues impacting the medical workforce so we can truly protect patients, support our doctors and minimise the risk of adverse events,” concluded Dr Crowe.

Report

• Annual report available for download here
• Irish version of the report is available here
• Infographic available for download here
• Infographic in Irish available here
• Short video available here