DoH commencing research programme on safe medical staffing

The Department of Health and the RCSI have commenced a research programme to inform the development of a safe medical staffing framework, the Medical Independent (MI) has been informed.

A Department spokesperson told MI: “The Department has recently commenced a research programme with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland to explore the development of an evidence-informed framework for medical workforce staffing and skill mix to inform future policy.”

“This work, which is at an early stage of development, aims to assist in the development of an evidence-based framework to inform strategic planning of medical workforce staffing needs, linked to quality of care and patient safety outcomes.”

The final report of the NCHD taskforce recommended that the Department establish a multi-stakeholder policy group for the purpose of defining benchmarks for safe medical staffing levels, including clinician tier for a variety of clinical situations.

The report, published in February 2024, also recommended that the Department work with the HSE to provide guidance on “acceptable” medical staffing levels for a given workload, including the optimum number and grade of doctors necessary. These actions were to take place “from 2024”.

According to the Department, the report includes “longer-term recommendations to support the development of the medical workforce”.

“This must be considered in the context of the whole health and social care workforce and includes the evolving educational infrastructure, technology, changing demands, and training the correct number of doctors,” the spokesperson said.

“The longer-term recommendations of the NCHD taskforce also included establishing a multi-stakeholder policy group for the purpose of defining benchmarks for medical safe staffing levels.

“The Department of Health continues to engage with key stakeholders, HSE NDTP [National Doctors Training and Planning], postgraduate medical training bodies, and other relevant stakeholders, to plan and progress the longer-term vision for medical workforce planning. The group will be formally established once this important scoping work is done.”

According to the recently published Medical Workforce Intelligence Report 2025, some 27.6 per cent of doctors reported difficulty providing sufficient patient care at least once a week or more often. The most common reported barriers were pressure on workloads, time spent on administration and bureaucracy, and overcrowding. Some 22.1 per cent of doctors self-reported working more than 48 hours a week on average, found the Medical Council report.

Speaking at the report launch, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill welcomed the growth in doctor numbers and the continued progress towards greater gender balance across the profession.

“At the same time, the report highlights challenges around medical workforce supply, workload and long-term workforce sustainability. The report is an important input into evidence-based workforce planning, and our collective ambition to build a sustainable medical workforce to deliver high-quality, equitable, and safe healthcare for the people of Ireland.”

Council President Prof Deirdre J Murphy commented: “As President of the Medical Council, my priority is to ensure that these findings translate into evidence-based action, so that patient safety remains at the centre of how we support and regulate the profession. This is why the collaboration and partnerships we have with the Department of Health and the HSE are so important.”

The Medical Council recently published its Medical Workforce Intelligence Report 2025. Pictured L-to-R at the launch of the report are: Dr Rachael Kelly (PhD), Research Manager, Medical Council; Dr Maria O’Kane, CEO, Medical Council; Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill; Prof Deirdre J Murphy, President, Medical Council; and Dr Bernadette Rock (PhD), Head of Research and Regulatory Data Insights, Medical Council.