Madam - With the lack of resolution of the public health doctors' dispute, the doctors on the picket line are actively considering their future. Many of these doctors have dual general practice and public health training and some are presently doing GP locums in order to maintain an income while being available for picket duty from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Others are considering the option of early retirement.
People may wonder what community public health doctors do! Here is a brief outline of some of their duties, which have been suspended since the strike began.
Public health doctors in the Southern Health Board area deliver 14,000 school immunisations annually. Congenital rubella has been effectively eradicated in Ireland in recent years as a direct result of the school vaccination programme. Since the strike began on April 14th, this vaccination programme has been suspended throughout the country. When the present sixth class children leave primary school in June, many of them will be lost to follow-up and will never receive this essential vaccination.
Parents of children with special needs are entitled to specific allowances. Adults and children with physical disabilities are entitled to allowances and tax concessions. At present these applications are not being processed. Discretionary medical cards for people with serious illnesses (e.g. cancer/leukaemia) are not being given the consideration they are due.
Nursing homes are not being inspected and nursing home subvention applications are not being sanctioned.
Since the strike began, screening and vaccination programmes for infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B, TB and Rubella which were routinely offered to asylum-seekers have been suspended.
Public health doctors control the spread of infectious diseases through contact tracing and preventive measures. These diseases include meningitis, septicaemia, measles, gastroenteritis, sexually transmitted diseases and TB.
Babies and children awaiting medical, developmental or audiological assessments are not being seen and the waiting lists are growing day by day.
In the Southern Health Board area public health doctors are responsible for the medical examination of children with suspected sexual abuse. This work has also been suspended since the strike began.
It is of concern to Public Health Doctors that when the dispute is finally settled, (and all disputes are settled eventually), experienced public health doctors will already have voted with their feet and moved to medical jobs where their training and experience are recognised and appreciated. - Yours, etc.,
Dr JO DUNCAN,
Area Medical Officer;
Dr MARY KIERAN,
Senior Area Medical Officer;
Dr CLIODHNA
FOLEY NOLAN,
Specialist in Public Health Medicine;
On behalf of the striking Southern Health Board public health doctors, Ballintemple, Cork.