Academic intern track programme sustained on ‘beg, borrow, and steal’ basis, warned INE Chair

The successful academic intern track (AIT) programme was being sustained on a “beg, borrow, and steal basis”, the Chair of the Intern Network Executive (INE) warned the HSE last year.

The “programme/training elements” of the AIT remained unfunded and “are now beginning to fall apart”, the INE Chair Dr Finbarr O’Connell informed the Director of HSE National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) Prof Brian Kinirons in October 2023.

Dr O’Connell noted the programme had been “championed” by the NDTP as one of the major recent achievements in intern training. He added that an expansion to 48 places had been welcome. 

However, while the HSE funded the salaries of AIT interns and 50 per cent of the €2,000 bursary per intern, there had been “virtually no support for the actual running of the programme”, such as for academic and administrative staff, and study days, etc.

Dr O’Connell stated the INE did not believe an updated business case had been given
“due consideration”.

In his response, dated February 2024, Prof Kinirons stated the INE’s original proposal in 2016 had sought funding for posts, the training grant, and half of the bursary cost.

The appointment of staff and other developments in the intervening years were done without “input from NDTP”.

In 2023, following support from the Department of Health, the NDTP increased the number of AIT posts from 24 to 48. 

Prof Kinirons said the NDTP recognised these additional interns within each medical school’s service level agreement (SLA) and associated training scheme costs (training support scheme and clinical course and exam refund scheme). 

Since 2019, he added, the total number of interns had increased by 20 per cent and SLA funding by 42 per cent.

The NDTP believed the INE should consider exploring additional funding partners for the AIT. However, the 2024/2025 SLA would be increased by €3,500 each (€21,000) in recognition of the “substantial” efforts of medical schools/ intern networks in running the programme. The correspondence was obtained under Freedom of Information law.

A HSE spokesperson said it covers the salaries of 48 AIT interns and 50 per cent of their bursary (totalling approximately €600,000 per annum).

The HSE also recognises these extra intern posts within the funding provided to the medical schools for intern training, and the associated training scheme costs.

Some 144 applications were received for the AIT programme in 2024/2025. All 48 posts were filled.