HSE says increased in newly-qualified doctors in 2020 was 'not planned and was never intended to be sustained'

The HSE says the increase in newly-qualified doctors in 2020 was an emergency measure in direct response to the pandemic and it was not planned and was never intended to be sustained.

It's after RedFM News reported that the HSE had made the decision not to offer the additional jobs to the 2021 cohort of interns.

It will affect 18 positions here in Cork including five hospitals. 

In a statement issued to RedFM News The HSE says "As we are coming out of the third wave of COVID and facing increased waiting lists and other challenges the focus is on ensuring we have the appropriate staff to deal with the impact of COVID."

The HSE says it will be investing in additional staff in 2021but the national number of medical internship posts available for July 2021 has reverted to 734 which is the standard annual intake in line with current workforce planning projections.

However speaking to RedFM News Dr Cormac Duff of The Keep Our Doctors campaign says the decision needs to be reversed:

"These cutbacks to doctors were not publicly announced and were only acknowledged by HSE in recent weeks following our 'keep our doctors' campaign. So the HSE has very quietly tried to cut these hundreds of frontline workers, hoping that the people of Cork wouldn't notice, but we have noticed....calling on Minister Stephen Donnelly to reverse these cuts to doctors."

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FULL STATEMENT FROM HSE ISSUED TO REDFM NEWS

"At the height of the COVID pandemic, intern numbers were increased to deal with the service pressures. This increase was an emergency measure in direct response to the pandemic and it was not planned and was never intended to be sustained.

As we are coming out of the third wave of COVID and facing increased waiting lists and other challenges the focus is on ensuring we have the appropriate staff to deal with the impact of COVID.  As part of the planned investment by the HSE in additional staffing, services and infrastructure the HSE will be investing in additional staffing in 2021. The HSE’s Winter Plan includes additional workers for the HSE across all professions.  To date, this year we have recruited almost 4,700 extra staff this year – this includes a 100 net increase of 141 consultants; a net increase of 759 registrars, senior house officers (SHO)and interns; 1,100 nurses and midwives; 400 health and social healthcare professionals; 500 patient and client care roles; and over 500 general supports for our services.

The national number of medical internship posts available for July 2021 has reverted to 734, which is the standard annual intake in line with current workforce planning projections. Intern places are determined by workforce planning requirements in line with current government policy. The number of intern places in line with the numbers of training posts available in specialist training programmes, the next step in the training pathway following completion of an internship."