Call to tackle Army doctor deficit

The representative body for Army officers has called for a radical overhaul of the recruitment of doctors to the Defence Forces in an effort to overcome staffing shortfalls.

The Representative Association for Commissioned Officers (Raco) has said the current system of recruiting doctors, mainly from eastern Europe, on short-term contracts is unsustainable, because such personnel are leaving their posts after short periods to take up more lucrative positions in public healthcare.

There are 18 doctors in the Defence Forces,short of the optimum number of 50 needed to provide the forces with medical cover at home and overseas.

Attracting Irish personnel has traditionally proven problematic because better-paid positions are available in the public and private healthcare sectors.

Recruitment difficulties have worsened to such an extent recently that only one Irish doctor has been recruited in the past five years.

The situation has continued to be problematic despite efforts by the Department of Defence to recruit more doctors, dentists and other personnel.

Raco now wants a small number of occupational practitioners to be recruited to manage the Defence Forces medical service.

It believes that if remuneration for these posts was increased and postgraduate educational opportunities provided, sufficient numbers needed to manage the service could be retained long term.

The association is also urging Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea to introduce a system of short-term contracts for doctors to run routine services in Ireland, such as annual check-ups for military personnel.

These, it believes, could be retained for the duration of their contracts if favourable allowances and family-friendly work practices were introduced.

Raco has pointed out that during the upcoming year-long mission to Chad, six doctors will need to go overseas with the 400 Irish troops, a deployment that will see medical services at home stretched to breaking point.

Raco general secretary Col Brian O'Keeffe told delegates at the closing session of the association's biennial conference in Kilkenny that the system is "in a state of virtual collapse".

"Radical solutions are needed here," he said. "We cannot retain sufficient personnel to fill the current [Medical Corps]. Therefore, we need to change the model of recruitment."

The Medical Corps provides routine health services to Defence Forces at home and overseas.

It also plays a vital role in determining if a soldier is fit for duties and determines if they should be discharged from the forces on medical grounds.

A spokeswoman for Mr O'Dea said the Minister would consider any proposals made by Raco. The issue was being given Mr O'Dea's "full attention", she added.