The Department of Health (DoH) has not yet established national committees for either strategic planning of medical training or to devise safe medical staffing levels. These were recommended in the NCHD taskforce’s final report published in February 2024.
The taskforce report contained 44 recommendations. These included a recommendation for the DoH to establish a national committee for strategic planning of medical education and training. Its purpose would be to develop a strategic plan to enable clinical education and training, and professional development, within the clinical system.
According to the taskforce report: “With evolution of a requirement for increased medical training posts at all levels (undergraduate and postgraduate) the taskforce recommends integrated, strategic planning of hub and spoke learning environments across HSE Health Regions to ensure coordinated development of academic and training opportunities.”
The taskforce report also recommended establishment of a multi-stakeholder policy group to define “benchmarks for medical safe staffing levels” including the “clinician tier” for a variety of clinical situations.
Last month, a DoH spokesperson told the Medical Independent the taskforce’s final report contained recommendations for immediate action and those for phased implementation from 2024 to 2026.
“Recommendations arising from taskforce deliberations on enhancement of clinical education, training and research for the development of our medical workforce, include an evolving educational infrastructure, embracing technology to meet changing demands, and training greater numbers. These longer-term recommendations require further consideration and a collaborative approach to agree the longer-term vision and strategic direction.”
While the two groups described in the taskforce report had not been “formally established”, the DoH said it continued to engage with stakeholders “to plan and progress” the report’s longer-term recommendations.
The taskforce report also recommended that the DoH and Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) develop strategies to align the supply of medical graduates to workforce demand projections to achieve self-sufficiency.
The DoH said it was collaborating with the DFHERIS and higher education sector to “significantly increase” student places across health-related disciplines.
Last October, the DFHERIS announced the creation of six new healthcare education programmes. These include a direct-entry medicine programme at University of Limerick and a graduate-entry medicine programme at University of Galway, which are both due to commence in 2026.
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