THE health minister has welcomed the recruitment of up to 26 consultants to ease emergency room pressures across Northern Ireland.
An effort to find work for newly qualified emergency consultants in local hospitals, it will be funded by reducing an estimated £30 million annual spend on locum consultants in EDs.
A number of the medics are already in post with others currently going through recruitment processes, with hopes that up to 26 will be in place by the end of the year and spread across all five health trusts according to clinical and staffing need.
It follows warnings last month that emergency waiting times in Northern Ireland were “beyond disastrous”, with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) stating that 300 people waited more than three days for a bed in January, with emergency staff “running on fumes and frustration”.
Health minister Mike Nesbitt said: “We’re all acutely aware of the very significant pressures on our hospital Emergency Departments. Both staff and patients want us to do all we can to alleviate those pressures and that’s been a central focus for my department and trusts in recent months.
“Stabilising our current workforce and strengthening our future workforce is an important part of our work across the HSC system”
After meeting with the RCEM last year, he said it was “incongruous” to train emergency doctors without creating job opportunities while also spending £30m a year on locum cover.
Asking his officials to collaborate with health trusts and the RCEM, he said the posts are funded within the the trusts’ current budgets.
Professor Lourda Geoghegan, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, commented: “I am very encouraged by early reports from trusts where new consultants have taken up post – about not only a reduction in spending on medical locums, but also the added benefit of increasing the presence of senior decision-making in EDs where staff continue to work under considerable pressure.
“I think there is merit in extending this very effective approach to other specialties and disciplines.”
Dr Russell McLaughlin, Vice President for RCEM Northern Ireland, thanked Mr Nesbitt for responding to the need to “future proof” emergency medicine.
He said a census last year had revealed a “critical shortage” of emergency consultants, with only half the recommended number in place – with just one per 7,786 emergency room patients.
“The need for expansion is clear – it’s vital our departments have these senior decision makers, who are qualified and ready to step into these roles, which are critical for patient safety,” he said.
Dr Andrew Dobbin is the Clinical Director of Unscheduled Care in the South Eastern Trust.
“In the past six months, five new emergency medicine consultants have been recruited in the trust, working across the Downe, Lagan Valley and Ulster Hospitals,” he said.
“These are doctors who have undertaken a robust training scheme over a minimum of six years, across many sites, gaining specialised expertise. Their expertise means they can make faster, more accurate decisions about patient care, improving waiting times and patient outcomes as well as reducing admissions to hospital, which can relieve the significant pressure on the wider hospital system.”