The president of the Irish Medical Council, Dr Suzanne Crowe, has voiced concerns about the growing issue of stress and substance misuse among doctors. This problem, she says, reflects a profession feeling unheard, unsupported, and increasingly alienated from decision-makers.
Dr Crowe claims the council has observed a sharp increase in job-related mental health issues. There are urgent worries about substance misuse among practitioners. She emphasises the need for all healthcare organisations to pool their data and recognise this escalating concern.
Speaking at the Irish Hospital Consultants Association’s (IHCA) annual conference, she accentuated the importance of respecting doctors’ voices and making accountability lines explicit. The conference, held in Co Kilkenny, prioritised healthcare leadership throughout its discussions.
Participants listened on as the conference shed light on the effects of capacity and resource shortages on staff. An IHCA survey of over 600 consultants revealed that 63% reported a lack of necessary capacity and resources.
IHCA President Prof Gabrielle Colleran expressed how patients’ care quality was curtailed by “antiquated” IT systems and “ageing hospital infrastructure”. She shared that outdated infrastructure impacts not only patient safety and healthcare results but also infection control and workforce morale.
In addition, Colleran drew attention to broader national trials such as an elderly population, complex chronic healthcare needs, climate change, and housing crisis; challenges which exacerbate health inequalities, particularly for the most vulnerable sectors of society.
Professor Colleran emphasised the need for humility, compassion, and care when addressing the significant and multifaceted challenges that we must collectively confront. An incidence was shared of a consultant recruited recently at Galway University Hospital who, despite being hired, was not provided an office space or a laptop instantly. In another instance, a consultant from Tipperary University Hospital explained they could only manage two hospital visits a month due to space constraints.
The Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly, while speaking at the conference, acknowledged the persistent overcrowding in emergency departments. He admitted that the situation was not yet at the desired level, however, he pointed out a decrease last year followed by a further decline this year. Despite receiving an unprecedented number of patients and dealing with an increased complexity in cases, significant progress has been made, he noted. He added that we are certainly now paving our way towards delivering the public health service we all aspire to provide.