New Plan Needed To Keep Nurses And Doctors

The RTE Prime Time programme on why so many nurses and doctors are opting to leave this country when they are trained, underlines once again that we need to fundamentally review what we are doing in our health service. Now that recruitment is once again underway, maybe it is time that we reviewed the terms and conditions of the training that nurses and doctors receive. One idea is that maybe we should look into some kind of fees rebate or relief for medical students or nurses who undertake to work here in Ireland for say, three or four or five years after they are qualified. Clearly, as our population profile grows more elderly it is more medical personnel that will be required on the front line and not less. More nurses and doctors will lead to less overcrowding and it would result in easier working conditions for everyone involved. I realise that there are more issues that need to be sorted out to solve the many problems that exist but we need an innovative approach with regard to staffing our health service, and every avenue should be explored