Stress and substance misuse are a “scourge” on doctors, the president of the Irish Medical Council has said.
Dr Suzanne Crowe said there had been an increase in mental health-related issues within the profession in recent years.
“We’ve seen it in complaints and representations coming into the council. There are serious concerns around substance misuse. That is reflective of a profession who doesn’t feel heard, who doesn’t feel supported and who increasingly feels disconnected from those who are making decisions,” she said.
“We [the medical council] have seen that. I guess it’s important all of the organisations in healthcare bring all of our surveys, bring all of the information we have on that, and come together.”
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Dr Crowe said the doctor’s voice had to be “respected”, and for the “lines of accountability to be clear”.
Dr Crowe was speaking at the annual conference of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) in Co Kilkenny on Saturday, with healthcare leadership being a significant focus throughout the meeting.
The conference heard about the impact capacity and resourcing issues had on staff. According to a survey of more than 600 consultants by the association, 63 per cent report a lack of access to necessary capacity and resources.
Prof Gabrielle Colleran, president of the IHCA, said “antiquated” IT systems and “ageing hospital infrastructure” hindered the quality of care provided to patients.
“Outdated infrastructure impacts patient safety, healthcare outcomes, infection control, and workforce morale. We aren’t just talking about comfort or aesthetics; we’re talking about the very ability to deliver world-class healthcare,” she said.
“Add to these the wider challenges we face as a nation – an ageing population, increasingly complex chronic healthcare needs, climate change, the housing crisis – challenges that intersect and amplify health inequalities, in particular for those most vulnerable.”
Prof Colleran said these were “consequential, complex, collective challenges that we must face together with humility, compassion and care”.
A consultant working in Galway University Hospital spoke about being hired recently but not having access to an office and not immediately being given a laptop, while another consultant in Tipperary University Hospital spoke about being able to do only two clinics per month because “there’s no space”.
Addressing the conference, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said overcrowding in emergency departments was “still not where we want it to be, but it fell last year and is falling again this year”.
“You have achieved that in spite of a record number of people coming through the door and a higher level of complexity in those presentations. We have a long way to go, but we are now undoubtedly on our way to delivering the public health service we all want to deliver,” he added.
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