40% of final-year doctors set to emigrate

A SENIOR HSE official has said that around 40% of the 102 final-year intern doctors in the HSE West area will emigrate after graduating.

Regional co-ordinator of acute services in HSE West, Chris Kane, said final-year interns are not remaining in the system here because “the working hours abroad are better with better support and training opportunities”.

The HSE West area stretches from Co Donegal to Co Limerick.

Ms Kane said: “Many Irish graduates are not attracted to working in smaller hospitals with poor rotas and rosters which have excessive hours of work.

“The country of choice is Australia, New Zealand and to a lesser extent the US and Canada.”

Dublin-based non-consultant hospital doctor Anthony O’Connor said Ms Kane’s comments are very welcome. He said he has seen no new initiative to address the working conditions of junior doctors and combat the shortage of them.