Doctor 'Recruitment Crisis' Hits NI

A worrying shortage of young doctors is stretching an already severely cash-strapped health service to the limit, a leading medic warned today.

Following Health Minister Michael McGimpsey's announcement of pay awards for doctors and dentists, Dr David Farren, Chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) Junior Doctor Committee, said: "Doctors fully understand the serious financial strain the health service is under. However if we cannot recruit dedicated and talented doctors to work in Northern Ireland then we will end up with a third rate service.

"The BMA is extremely disappointed at the three month delay in announcing the outcomes of the Review Body on Doctors and Dentists (DDRB) pay award for local medics and that the award was cut by 0.5% for junior doctors.

"Colleagues in Great Britain have told me that they did not apply for jobs in Northern Ireland partly because of this delay, as they knew they could get similar jobs with known pay and conditions elsewhere," he explained.

"Junior doctors are a highly mobile workforce and will often apply for jobs that offer the best opportunity to learn with decent working conditions.

"It concerns us that doctors are being trained in Northern Ireland at a cost to the taxpayer of £250,000, but are then are forced to leave due to uncertainty over recruitment issues."

Dr Farren continued by underlining the 'cost' to student doctors: "Medical students finish their education with an average debt of £20,000 not including, for example, an average of £13,000 of credit card debt and overdrafts.

"Should Government decide to lift the cap on university tuition fees, which many fear will happen, the effect on medicine will be catastrophic with average medical graduate debt potentially reaching over £57,000.

"The starting salary for a junior doctor is just over £22,000," he explained.

"Proper investment in our junior doctor workforce is needed now to ensure that patients receive the best care possible in the future."

The doctors' unease comes after Michael McGimpsey announced the pay award "arising from the recommendations of the Review Body on Doctors and Dentists (DDRB) pay for 20010-2011" today.

Commenting, he said: "There is no doubt that there are significant problems in recruiting and retaining junior doctors in Northern Ireland."

Specifically on doctors in training, the Minister said that "unfortunately a bid to the Department of Finance and Personnel to approve the 1.5% recommended pay award had been turned down".

He said: "I acknowledge that the Department of Health in England have implemented a 1% increase for junior doctors but governments in Scotland and Wales have accepted the 1.5% recommendation.

"I realise that this will be disappointing news for some junior doctors but I can assure them that I have made every effort that I can to meet the recommendations of the pay review body."

"I want to continue to improve services for our patients and clients. My Department will continue to work with the British Medical Association (BMA) and the British Dentist Association (BDA) to focus resources on local priorities," he concluded.

The pay increases will see a 1% increase for Foundation House Officer Doctors (1 & 2) and their equivalent grades, registrars, specialty doctor and associated specialist grades, salaried general medical practitioners and salaried general dental practitioners.

There will be no increase in consultant pay scales or clinical excellence awards and no increase in net income for independent contractor General Medical Practitioners however, the General Medical Services contract will be uplifted by 0.8% to reflect increases in GP Practice expenses.

There will also be no increase in net income for independent contractor General Dental Practitioners however, the expenses element of certain items of service will be increased by 0.9% to reflect increase in GDP Practice expenses.

(BMcC/GK)