Accident and emergency departments across Ireland could face closure or reduced services with the introduction of new standards for junior doctors, it was warned today.
Hospitals unable to provide greater levels of supervision by consultants would have to withdraw junior doctors' posts under new rules by the Royal College of Surgeons.
Unless these doctors can be replaced, smaller hospitals may be forced to reduce services or even close their emergency departments. Professor Arthur Tanner, of the Royal College of Surgeons, said the issue was first raised around two years ago, when it was decided that trainers in A&E departments should be consultant A&E specialists.
"This is what caused a problem because due to a supply and demand situation there aren't adequate A&E trained consultants to take up all the posts that are necessary to run every A&E department that presently exists in the country," Prof Tanner said.
He said hospitals would be able to replace the junior doctors with fully registered staff but that this was not an ideal situation given the amount of posts.
Unless new arrangements were made, Prof Tanner said there was no doubt that some hospitals would be forced to close A&E departments.
PA