It is anticipated a national intern training agency (NITA) will be established next year, the Medical Independent (MI) has learned.
The development of the agency is a key component of a project aimed at strengthening the governance, quality management, and ongoing development of the medical intern year.
A HSE spokesperson told MI it is engaging with the Medical Council to progress this project, including the proposal to establish a NITA.
A Medical Council-commissioned implementation group is progressing details on the governance, legal structure, and operational model for the NITA. Subject to the outcome of the implementation process, and availability of funding, it is anticipated the NITA will be established during 2027.
The HSE and the Medical Council have previously described a “fragmented” governance system for the intern year, which had impacted their ability to undertake their statutory roles in an efficient manner.
The Medical Council is responsible for the quality assurance of intern training. The HSE’s responsibilities include facilitating intern training, as well as recruitment and employment of interns. There are six intern training networks, each based around a medical school. Intern training is delivered under service level agreements between the medical schools and the HSE.
Meanwhile, the Medical Intern Board (MIB) has noted the “unsatisfactory” process to secure an uplift in intern posts this year.
In February, a meeting of the MIB discussed “the change to the process in securing an uplift in intern posts following the issuing of the letter of determination”. The meeting heard a whole-time equivalent limit and budget had been provided to regional health authorities for local decision, without specifying the number of intern posts (or any other grades).
At the time of the meeting, HSE National Doctors Training and Planning had been advised that the intern networks for University of Limerick and Trinity College Dublin had received an uplift as instructed by the regional executive officers (REOs).
“NRS [National Recruitment Service] have delayed the post preference stage of intern recruitment to accommodate negotiations between [Intern] Networks and REOs, but are mindful of the final exam dates for students and can only hold off this process until mid-March,” stated the minutes, which were released by the HSE under Freedom of Information law.
The “unsatisfactory process for 2026” would need to be reviewed and data gathered to support a “case for a change” in the 2027 estimates process. “The MIB may wish to consider escalating concerns regarding the impact of the 2026 process to senior officials within the DoH and HSE once concluded,” stated the minutes.
The HSE informed MI: “For 2026, the national number of approved intern posts is 915, an increase of approximately 4 per cent compared to 2025. All six health regions increased their intern post numbers compared with last year. The recruitment process proceeded in line with the established annual timeline, with the formal intern year commencing as scheduled in July.”
Under its statutory function, the HSE determines the number of training posts required each year.
“As with all national medical training programmes, the establishment of additional training posts is subject to the availability of funding and training capacity within the health regions.”
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