The IHCA has warned that the Government’s rental sector measures could negatively impact on essential healthcare workers such as NCHDs, who are required to relocate frequently throughout their training.
The IHCA acknowledged the need for rental sector reform. However, it believed the proposal to allow landlords to reset rents at market price for new leases could have the unintended consequence of making accommodation even more inaccessible for frontline medical staff.
This is particularly relevant for NCHDs as their training requires them to rotate between hospitals in different locations often within a single year. Under the proposed changes that would allow rents to be reset for new tenancies, NCHDs may face significant hikes every time they relocate.
According to the Association: “While the limited national supply of housing impacts every facet of society, these changes risk adding further stress to vital frontline health staff who are already employed in very demanding jobs. The measures may also force more doctors in training to commute excessive distances to their place of work, or even result in some deferring training rotations altogether due to a lack of suitable local accommodation.”
In a submission to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Association expressed its wish to meet with Minister James Browne and his officials to engage constructively with Government on ensuring that essential housing policy reforms do not inadvertently compromise the delivery of hospital care or medical training standards that underpin the operation of the health service.
