New bid to recruit Downe docs

New bid to recruit Downe docs

10 June 2015

HEALTH chiefs are to make a fresh attempt to secure middle grade doctors to work at the Downe Hospital’s emergency department.

Previous attempts to secure doctors to work at the Downe proved unsuccessful, forcing the South Eastern Trust to end 24-hour emergency cover at the £64m hospital. 

There are currently no A&E services available in Downpatrick between 8pm and 8am from Monday to Friday when a GP out-of-hours service operates. Nor are there are no A&E services at the Downe over the weekend, but a minor injury service operates on Saturday and Sunday between 9am and 5pm, in tandem with the out-of-hours GP service.

Trust officials, who were unsuccessful in recruiting emergency doctors last summer to work at the Downe, Ulster and Lagan Valley hospitals, said while the failed attempt was “disappointing,” it was not surprising given the significant shortage of A&E doctors across the UK.  

Confirming it has now commenced another recruitment campaign, the Trust says it plans to advertise for staff both in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. 

“This campaign is aimed at recruiting middle grade doctors for each of our three emergency departments, with the advert being placed in journals and newspapers across the UK and Republic of Ireland,” said a Trust spokeswoman.

“The Trust continues to work with agencies to attract long term locum/permanent middle grades, including doctors from other countries for its emergency departments. Unfortunately, there has been no improvement in the numbers being forwarded to the Trust for consideration and those that are suggested by the agencies have no previous experience in working in emergency departments or within the NHS in the UK.”

The spokeswoman said the Trust also acts on intelligence from its existing workforce to attract doctors who may have moved overseas, but are planning on returning to work in Northern Ireland in the future.

She added: “Unfortunately, the current number of emergency doctors within the Downe continues to be well short of the required staffing levels. The Trust has increased the hours of some of the consultants from the Ulster Hospital to provide cover to the Downe as an interim solution to maintaining the current emergency service.”

News that a fresh recruitment drive is being made in a bid to secure doctors to work in Downpatrick has been welcomed by South Down MP Margaret Ritchie who hopes it will prove successful.

“We have been told time and time again by the Department of Health that the reduction in A&E provision at the Downe is due to the lack of middle grade doctors to staff the emergency department and not a reduction in need for the service within the community,” she said.

Miss Ritchie said she has been continuously lobbying the government department to ensure every effort and possible resource is put into recruiting middle grade doctors.

“Health Minister Simon Hamilton has confirmed to me that the South Eastern Trust is about to commence another recruitment campaign which I welcome. However, like the community, I remain concerned that it may be another round without a successful outcome,” she declared.

“It’s vital all possible resources and effort is employed by the Trust to ensure this is a successful recruitment campaign. I will also be pursuing the recruitment issue with the College of Emergency Medicine in London.”